Overview
Court Ladies Playing Backgammon Scroll (《內人雙陸圖卷》), attributed to the Tang Dynasty painter ​Zhou Fang (周昉, c. 8th–9th century), depicts aristocratic women engaged in a game of ​double-sixes (shuanglu), a board game of Indian origin popularized in China during the Tang era. The original scroll is lost, but two surviving ​Song Dynasty copies are housed in the ​Freer Gallery of Art (USA) and the ​National Palace Museum (Taipei).

Key Details

1. ​Artistic Style
   • The scroll exemplifies Zhou Fang’s ​​“Zhou’s style” (周家樣), characterized by ​full-bodied, elegant figures with refined facial features and luxurious attire.
   • The ​Freer version (30.5 cm × 69.1 cm) features vibrant colors and meticulous details, though critics note slight stiffness in brushwork compared to the original.
   • The ​Taipei version is praised for its delicate lines and richer palette, likely copied later in the Song era.
2. ​Composition
   • Eight figures are depicted: ​two noblewomen playing shuanglu, ​two observers, and ​four servants preparing refreshments.
   • The scene reflects Tang aristocratic leisure, with symbolic elements like ​crescent-shaped stools (月牙凳) and ​intricate hairpins (月牙梳), embodying Tang aesthetic preferences.
3. ​Cultural Context
   • ​Double-sixes (shuanglu): Introduced from India via the Silk Road, the game involved dice-rolling and strategic movement of pieces on a board with 12 lanes.
   • Zhou Fang’s portrayal captures the ​social hierarchy of Tang court life, contrasting the relaxed postures of nobles with the busyness of servants.
4. ​Historical Legacy
   • Zhou Fang’s works, including this scroll, influenced later ​​“water-moon Guanyin” (水月觀音) depictions and solidified his status as a master of ​Tang realism.
   • The scroll’s colophons include inscriptions by ​Qian Xuan (錢選) and ​Lu Shidao (陸師道), who praised its lifelike details and technical brilliance.

Notable Features

• ​Furniture: The ​crescent stool (月牙凳), a Tang innovation for elite women, features carved floral legs and a woven bamboo seat, showcasing period craftsmanship.
• ​Attire: Noblewomen wear ​flowing robes and elaborate hairstyles, while servants are depicted in simpler garments, emphasizing class distinctions.

Legacy
The scroll remains a critical artifact for studying Tang Dynasty ​art, gaming culture, and gender roles, bridging historical documentation and artistic mastery