Tarot Balbi
Italian tarot created by artist Domenico Balbi.
by Domenico Balbi · 1976
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The record
The Tarot Balbi found its way to me serendipitously when we helped out a friend by taking a vanload of "junk" to the tip! The deck was brand new and I was delighted to add it to my collection! Created by Italian artist Domenico Balbi, who is, I gather (from the short background given in Spanish), a specialist in metaphysics and parapsychology, this bilingual deck deserves to be more popular than it presently is. The brightly coloured cards incorporate astrological and alchemical symbols as well as Cabbalistic lettering and are an endlessly interesting. Balbi's use of colour is unconventional and fascinating! The Magician has flowing green curls, purple and blue trees and shrubs are dotted about colourful landscapes, and horses with pink, blue and green manes go flying by. Another odd feature of the artwork is that whilst all the characters are dressed in intricately designed brightly coloured clothing, their faces and hands remain uncoloured, executed simply in black and white. Such is Balbi's mastery with colour that these eccentricities do not jar on your senses as you might expect, and actually enhance the visual appeal of the cards! Apart from his green hair, the Magician stand
The cards
