Robin Wood
Pagan-inspired illustrated tarot with beloved fantasy art and nature symbolism.
by Robin Wood · 1991
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The record
For many years, Robin Wood has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the most beloved illustrators of fantasy literature and Pagan art. As such, the Robin Wood Tarot was an inevitable favorite among readers with an eye toward Pagan symbolism. In this deck, she appears to attempt a complex meld of modern images, Pagan symbolism, and the well-known Rider-Waite-Smith orientation to create a very unique deck. However, Wood seems to accomplish this without alienating non-Pagans or violating the sensibilities of those who enjoy the RWS system. Many of the adaptations include quite subtle changes. For example, close examination of the battlers on the Five of Wands will reveal that the combatants staves form a pentacle, and the Ace of Wands contains a DNA strand, possibly indicating this cards propensity for representing creation and synthesis. Other changes, however, are more obvious. The Magician, now wearing an antlered headdress, somewhat resembles a shamanistic priest. The Devil is noticeably absent in the card by that name, and is replaced by a pair of slaves to materialism, each vainly trying to pull a treasure hoard to their own end of a dark tunnel. For those who find the
The cards
