Ancient Tarots of Lombardy

The archive's reviewer states the problem this deck solves: RWS illustrated pips can feel forcing, while Marseilles pips can feel austere, and the Italian engraved soprafino decks split the difference, ornamental engraving that decorates the pips without dictating a scene's meaning. This Lo Scarabeo reproduction of a Lombard deck is a fine exemplar of the type, the third of the historical series in this catalog beside the Liguria-Piedmont and Bologna reproductions. Soprafino means extra-fine, and the term described a real commercial category: nineteenth-century Italian decks engraved to a luxury standard. Reading with one keeps the Marseilles discipline, number and suit carrying meaning, while giving the eye period elegance to rest on. It suits pip readers who want beauty without interpretive interference, collectors completing the Lo Scarabeo historical shelf, and RWS readers curious whether they actually need the scenes. The reviewer's compromise framing is the honest sales pitch, and it has held up for two centuries.