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Visconti-Sforza Tarot

January 01, 1970

The Visconti-Sforza Tarot is used collectively to refer to incomplete sets of approximately 15 decks from the middle of the 15th century, now located in various museums, libraries, and private collections around the world. No complete deck has survived; rather, some collections boast a few face cards, while some consist of a single card. They are the oldest surviving tarot cards and date back to a period when tarot was still called Trionfi ("triumphs"[1] i.e. trump) cards, and used for everyday playing.[2][3] They were commissioned by Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan, and by his successor and son-in-law Francesco Sforza. They had a significant impact on the visual composition, card numbering and interpretation of modern decks.[4]

Cards from the Pierpont Morgan Bergamo deck

Overview edit

The surviving cards are of particular historical interest because of the beauty and detail of the design, which was often executed in precious materials and often reproduce members of the Visconti and Sforza families in period garments and settings. Consequently, the cards also offer a glimpse of nobiliary life in Renaissance Milan, which the Visconti called home since the 13th century.

The three most famous sets are discussed in more detail below.

Pierpont Morgan Bergamo edit

This deck, also known as Colleoni-Baglioni and Francesco Sforza, was produced around 1451.[5] Originally composed of 78 cards, it now contains 74, i.e. 20 trumps, 15 face cards, and 39 pip cards. The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City has 35, the Accademia Carrara has 26 in its catalogue, while the remaining 13 are in the private collection of the Colleoni family in Bergamo. Trumps and face cards have a gilt background, while the pip cards are cream-coloured with a flower and vine motif. The two missing trumps are the Devil and the Tower. Modern published reproductions of this deck usually contain attempted reconstructions of missing cards.

The figures on the suit of bastoni wear silver pleated garments and carry a long staff; a large vessel tops either end except for the King, whose staff has a finial only at the top. Those on the suit of cups wear gold garments, embellished by the heraldic device of sun and rays; each figure holds a large chalice, as is often the case with the suit. The suit of spades shows figures dressed in full armour, carrying a large sword. Curiously, the characters represented on denari wear garments decorated with blue ribbons wound around circular suns.

Cary-Yale edit

Named after the Cary Collection of Playing Cards, absorbed into the Yale University Library in 1967, it is also known as the Visconti di Modrone set, and has been dated back to around 1466.[7] Some scholars[8] have, conversely, suggested this may be in fact the oldest of sets, perhaps commissioned by Filippo Maria Visconti at the onset of the project. 67 cards (11 trumps, 17 face cards and 39 pip cards) have survived, which has led to the (disputed) suggestion that, given the distribution of the Pierpont Morgan deck, the total number of cards when this set was produced should have amounted to 86.

In the 2007 book "The History of the Tarot", scholar Giordano Berti proposes that the deck was produced between 1442 and 1447, because the denari (coin) cards bear the recto and verso of the golden florin coined by F. M. Visconti in 1442 and withdrawn from circulation at his death, in 1447.

The Cary-Yale is the only historical Western deck with six ranks of face cards, as the "Damsel" and the "Lady on horse" supplement the traditional King, Queen, Knight and Jack. Their ranks can be determined by their positions: standing, mounted on a horse, or enthroned. The trumps also contain the three theological virtues which appear only here and in Minchiate decks. All trump cards have a gilt background, while the pip cards have a silver one.

  •  
    Detail from the four of denari
  •  
    Damsel of swords
  •  
    Mounted lady of denari
  •  
    Faith
  •  
    Hope
  •  
    Charity
  •  
    Death

Brera-Brambilla edit

This set is named after Giovanni Brambilla, who acquired the cards in Venice in 1900.[9] Since 1971 the deck has been in the catalogue of the Brera Gallery in Milan. Apparently commissioned to Bonifacio Bembo by Francesco Sforza in 1463, it now consists of 48 cards with only two trumps - the Emperor and the Wheel of Fortune. All face cards have a gilt background, while the pip cards have a silver one.

The seven remaining face cards are: Knight and Jack of cups; Knight and Jack of denari; Knight, Jack and Queen of bastoni. Almost all pip cards have survived, as this set is only missing the four of denari.

  •  
    Jack of cups
  •  
    Knight of cups
  •  
    Queen of batons

References edit

  1. ^ autorbis. "Oldest Tarot Cards. Origin of Tarot. Research of the history of Tarot".
  2. ^ Emily E. Auger. Tarot and Other Meditation Decks: History, Theory, Aesthetics, Typology, McFarland, 2003, ISBN 0-7864-1674-2, ISBN 978-0-7864-1674-5, pages 145, 164, 195, 212-3.
  3. ^ Giordano Berti & Tiberio Gonard. Visconti-tarot. Buch und Karten.: Das älteste Tarot der Welt., Königsfurt Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-933939-11-9, ISBN 978-3-933939-11-1, 120 pages.
  4. ^ Sandra A. Thomson. Pictures from the Heart: A Tarot Dictionary, St. Martin's Griffin, 2003, ISBN 0-312-29128-0, ISBN 978-0-312-29128-0, 544 pages.
  5. ^ Janina Renée. Tarot for a New Generation, Llewellyn Worldwide, 2001, ISBN 0-7387-0160-2, ISBN 978-0-7387-0160-8, page 6.
  6. ^ a b Visconti-Sforza. Tarot Meditations
  7. ^ Naomi Ozaniec. The Watkins Tarot Handbook: The Practical System of Self-Discovery, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 2005, ISBN 1-84293-114-8, ISBN 978-1-84293-114-1, pages 5, 174, 179.
  8. ^ Hajo Banzhaf. The Crowley Tarot: The Handbook of the Cards, U.S. Games Systems, Incorporated, 1995, ISBN 0-88079-715-0, ISBN 978-0-88079-715-3, page 10.
  9. ^ Robert M. Place. The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2005, ISBN 1-58542-349-1, ISBN 978-1-58542-349-1, pages 16 ff.

Further reading edit

  • Giordano Berti. Storia dei tarocchi: verità e leggende sulle carte più misteriose del mondo, Mondadori, 2007, ISBN 88-04-56596-9, ISBN 978-88-04-56596-3, 241 pages.
  • Michael Dummett. The Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards, G. Braziller, 1986, ISBN 0-8076-1141-7, ISBN 978-0-8076-1141-8, 141 pages.
  • Gertrude Moakley. The Tarot Cards. Painted by Bonifacio Bembo for the Visconti-Sforza Family. An Iconographic and Historical Study, New York P.L. publishing, 1966.
  • S. R. Kaplan. The Encyclopedia of Tarot, 2 volumes, New York: U.S. Games Systems, 1979–1986.
  • Giordano Berti & Tiberio Gonard. Visconti Tarot, Llewellyn - Lo Scarabeo, Minneapolis - Torino, 2002.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Visconti-Sforza tarot deck.
  • Visconti Tarot From the digital collection of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University

January 01, 1970
visconti, sforza, tarot, used, collectively, refer, incomplete, sets, approximately, decks, from, middle, 15th, century, located, various, museums, libraries, private, collections, around, world, complete, deck, survived, rather, some, collections, boast, face. The Visconti Sforza Tarot is used collectively to refer to incomplete sets of approximately 15 decks from the middle of the 15th century now located in various museums libraries and private collections around the world No complete deck has survived rather some collections boast a few face cards while some consist of a single card They are the oldest surviving tarot cards and date back to a period when tarot was still called Trionfi triumphs 1 i e trump cards and used for everyday playing 2 3 They were commissioned by Filippo Maria Visconti Duke of Milan and by his successor and son in law Francesco Sforza They had a significant impact on the visual composition card numbering and interpretation of modern decks 4 Cards from the Pierpont Morgan Bergamo deck Contents 1 Overview 1 1 Pierpont Morgan Bergamo 1 2 Cary Yale 1 3 Brera Brambilla 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksOverview editThe surviving cards are of particular historical interest because of the beauty and detail of the design which was often executed in precious materials and often reproduce members of the Visconti and Sforza families in period garments and settings Consequently the cards also offer a glimpse of nobiliary life in Renaissance Milan which the Visconti called home since the 13th century The three most famous sets are discussed in more detail below Pierpont Morgan Bergamo edit This deck also known as Colleoni Baglioni and Francesco Sforza was produced around 1451 5 Originally composed of 78 cards it now contains 74 i e 20 trumps 15 face cards and 39 pip cards The Morgan Library amp Museum in New York City has 35 the Accademia Carrara has 26 in its catalogue while the remaining 13 are in the private collection of the Colleoni family in Bergamo Trumps and face cards have a gilt background while the pip cards are cream coloured with a flower and vine motif The two missing trumps are the Devil and the Tower Modern published reproductions of this deck usually contain attempted reconstructions of missing cards The figures on the suit of bastoni wear silver pleated garments and carry a long staff a large vessel tops either end except for the King whose staff has a finial only at the top Those on the suit of cups wear gold garments embellished by the heraldic device of sun and rays each figure holds a large chalice as is often the case with the suit The suit of spades shows figures dressed in full armour carrying a large sword Curiously the characters represented on denari wear garments decorated with blue ribbons wound around circular suns nbsp The fool nbsp The Empress 6 nbsp The Emperor 6 nbsp Death nbsp Knight of cups nbsp Seven of denari Cary Yale edit Named after the Cary Collection of Playing Cards absorbed into the Yale University Library in 1967 it is also known as the Visconti di Modrone set and has been dated back to around 1466 7 Some scholars 8 have conversely suggested this may be in fact the oldest of sets perhaps commissioned by Filippo Maria Visconti at the onset of the project 67 cards 11 trumps 17 face cards and 39 pip cards have survived which has led to the disputed suggestion that given the distribution of the Pierpont Morgan deck the total number of cards when this set was produced should have amounted to 86 In the 2007 book The History of the Tarot scholar Giordano Berti proposes that the deck was produced between 1442 and 1447 because the denari coin cards bear the recto and verso of the golden florin coined by F M Visconti in 1442 and withdrawn from circulation at his death in 1447 The Cary Yale is the only historical Western deck with six ranks of face cards as the Damsel and the Lady on horse supplement the traditional King Queen Knight and Jack Their ranks can be determined by their positions standing mounted on a horse or enthroned The trumps also contain the three theological virtues which appear only here and in Minchiate decks All trump cards have a gilt background while the pip cards have a silver one nbsp Detail from the four of denari nbsp Damsel of swords nbsp Mounted lady of denari nbsp Faith nbsp Hope nbsp Charity nbsp Death Brera Brambilla edit This set is named after Giovanni Brambilla who acquired the cards in Venice in 1900 9 Since 1971 the deck has been in the catalogue of the Brera Gallery in Milan Apparently commissioned to Bonifacio Bembo by Francesco Sforza in 1463 it now consists of 48 cards with only two trumps the Emperor and the Wheel of Fortune All face cards have a gilt background while the pip cards have a silver one The seven remaining face cards are Knight and Jack of cups Knight and Jack of denari Knight Jack and Queen of bastoni Almost all pip cards have survived as this set is only missing the four of denari nbsp Jack of cups nbsp Knight of cups nbsp Queen of batonsReferences edit autorbis Oldest Tarot Cards Origin of Tarot Research of the history of Tarot Emily E Auger Tarot and Other Meditation Decks History Theory Aesthetics Typology McFarland 2003 ISBN 0 7864 1674 2 ISBN 978 0 7864 1674 5 pages 145 164 195 212 3 Giordano Berti amp Tiberio Gonard Visconti tarot Buch und Karten Das alteste Tarot der Welt Konigsfurt Verlag 1999 ISBN 3 933939 11 9 ISBN 978 3 933939 11 1 120 pages Sandra A Thomson Pictures from the Heart A Tarot Dictionary St Martin s Griffin 2003 ISBN 0 312 29128 0 ISBN 978 0 312 29128 0 544 pages Janina Renee Tarot for a New Generation Llewellyn Worldwide 2001 ISBN 0 7387 0160 2 ISBN 978 0 7387 0160 8 page 6 a b Visconti Sforza Tarot Meditations Naomi Ozaniec The Watkins Tarot Handbook The Practical System of Self Discovery Sterling Publishing Company Inc 2005 ISBN 1 84293 114 8 ISBN 978 1 84293 114 1 pages 5 174 179 Hajo Banzhaf The Crowley Tarot The Handbook of the Cards U S Games Systems Incorporated 1995 ISBN 0 88079 715 0 ISBN 978 0 88079 715 3 page 10 Robert M Place The Tarot History Symbolism and Divination Jeremy P Tarcher Penguin 2005 ISBN 1 58542 349 1 ISBN 978 1 58542 349 1 pages 16 ff Further reading editGiordano Berti Storia dei tarocchi verita e leggende sulle carte piu misteriose del mondo Mondadori 2007 ISBN 88 04 56596 9 ISBN 978 88 04 56596 3 241 pages Michael Dummett The Visconti Sforza Tarot Cards G Braziller 1986 ISBN 0 8076 1141 7 ISBN 978 0 8076 1141 8 141 pages Gertrude Moakley The Tarot Cards Painted by Bonifacio Bembo for the Visconti Sforza Family An Iconographic and Historical Study New York P L publishing 1966 S R Kaplan The Encyclopedia of Tarot 2 volumes New York U S Games Systems 1979 1986 Giordano Berti amp Tiberio Gonard Visconti Tarot Llewellyn Lo Scarabeo Minneapolis Torino 2002 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Visconti Sforza tarot deck Visconti Tarot From the digital collection of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Visconti Sforza Tarot amp oldid 1219224446, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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