After raising $220,000 on Kickstarter, this art history board game is ready to be the prettiest one in your collection

Artistry is an art-nouveau-flavored strategy board game that’s recently entered crowdfunding… and I’m sort of obsessed with it already. Judging by the fact that the project has already raised 400 times its funding goal, I’m certainly not the only one.

There are plenty of reasons why we fall head over heels for the best board games. They might bring out your competitive side, really get the cogs of your brain a-turning, or just provide an opportunity to spend time with the people you care about. But even if you don’t notice it, the look and feel of a board game does some heavy lifting in your enjoyment of the whole experience too.

Designed by the creators of Botany and La Fleur (games rocking scores of 7.1 and 8 on BoardGameGeek), Artistry is currently in its funding period on Kickstarter. It’s a 1 to 4-player race to the heights of artistic acclaim done by way of gorgeous illustrated cards and ceramic tile-inspired game pieces. You don’t need to be a total art history buff to enjoy this game either, the works of artists like Alphonse Mucha and Maurice Pillard Verneuil speak for themselves.

Artistry sets out to be a light, abstract strategy title – meaning it's probably a lot closer to Azul than Catan. While I love a good crunchy, heavy-weight board game, there’s really something special about a game you can enjoy over a cup of tea with a friend within 30 minutes. Not to mention, you get to avoid the dreaded ‘explaining the rules to someone while their eyes glaze over’ experience.

With 28 days left to go, Artistry has already accumulated $220,156 of funding from its 2,251 backers – despite having an initial funding goal of just $5,000. It’s clear that I’m not the only one totally captivated by the delicate, ornate style of the game.

Backers who pledge $39 will receive a standard edition copy of the game at a 20% discount of its $50 MSRP. Meanwhile, the $75 deluxe edition is available at a 25% discount and you’ll secure a 33% discount on the MSRP of the ridiculously precious-looking jewellery box edition. If you’re a lover of fine things that can’t resist the allure of a faux leather box and velvet tile bag, it’s definitely worth hopping on the Kickstarter-exclusive deal.

Need something new to play? Give one of the best tabletop RPGs a try. For more suggestions on what to add to your shelves, why not check out the best card games or best two player board games?