Golden Tarot of the Renaissance
Ferrarese courtly tarot inspired by Renaissance poetry and art traditions.
by Giordano Berti, Jo Dworkin · 1994
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The record
It is always the proudest man whom Love defeats and subjugates No strong arm, no audacity, no blade well-honed, no shield or mail, no other poet can avail for in the end, Love conquers all. Matteo Maria Boiardo circa 1494 Above, the courtly tarocchi poet of Ferarra was writing to his second chosen patron, Duke Ercole D'Este, with encouragement from courtly ladies that included the Duchess of Mantua, Ercole's daughter. The epic poem Orlando in Love (Innomorato) and poet was rediscovered and celebrated in 1994 with various conferences and even a tarocchi game. Some five hundred and ten years after Boiardo's death, the Estensi Tarot is to be relased in 2004. This a golden tribute to romance and destiny, a revival of a supposed Ferrarese courtly game. While Boiardo and the courts of the Estensi developed various games of poetry and gilded cards, the original cards inspiring this deck--now housed in Paris--have not been attributed to any Estensi ruler. Sixteen of the cards had been misnamed "Charles VI" from a mistake by a 19th century historian. Other suggested points of North Italian origin are attributed to the deck, which might include Milan or Venice, depending on the historian. Ho
The cards
