Published in 2007 by Museo dei Tarocchi (Hermatena), Tarocchi Alchemici (Alchemical Tarot) is a deck of the 22 Major Arcana Tarot cards designed by 22 separate artists. This Tarot deck offers a creative, not to mention alchemical, interpretation of the Tarot. The term alchemical here is not really intended to refer to the mystical science of alchemy. Instead, it refers to the spirit in which the cards were created. The artwork on each card of the Tarocchi Alchemici is made up primarily of paintings. These paintings come together in a diverse and non-traditional way, giving rise to some unique interpretations when the cards are used in a Tarot spread.
Most of the cards can be recognized by anyone familiar with the Tarot as part of the standand deck (based on the Rider-Waite Tarot). Some of them, however, are more abstract and difficult to not only recognize by to interpret. Only some of the cards are numbered and titled, and the titles are all in Italian anyway, making it more difficult to understand this deck. The deck does come with a leaflet to help with interpretations, but really this deck is more designed for Tarot collectors and enthusiasts.
Artists who worked on Tarocchi Alchemici include:
- L. Bergamini
- G. Boldrini
- A. Borlenghi
- A. Carlini
- C. (Catalani) & C. (Strozzieri)
- M. P. Daidone
- E. Le Donne
- U. Esposti
- M. C. Fioretti
- A. Fomez
- G. Lacatena
- G. A. Leone
- C. Lezzi
- F. Lista
- Nabil
- R. Nardi
- M. Pennazzi
- A. Perinelli
- M. Pompeo
- C. Rezzuti
- G. Rossi
- B. Succi
If you're looking for a truly unique tarot deck, Tarocchi eVoluti (Tarot Evolution) may be what you're looking for. The 22 cards of the Major Arcana were created by 22 different artists. Each card has a style that is all its own and reflects the particular artist who created it. The cards are a strange mix of photography, sculptures, paintings, and collages. The cards are long and slender and is designed to inspire artists and collectors in their search for meaning in the Major Arcana. Please note that this deck only include the 22 cards of the Major Arcana, not the 4 suits of the Minor Arcana.
The included booklet has black and white drawings of each of the 22 cards and includes descriptions, card interpretations, and even a brief history of the Tarot. Of course, the booklet is in Italian, so if you can't read Italian, you'll have to use traditional interpretations when incorporating Tarocchi eVoluti into your Tarot reading. You can get the deck without the booklet, but this was released in a limited number (200 decks), so you may not be able to get this deck without the booklet.
The images on the cards don't always follow the traditional images on most Tarot decks. However, since most cards are either titled or numbered, so you won't be confused as to which card is which. Tarocchi eVoluti is primarily designed for collectors and Tarot enthusiasts, but it can also be incorporated into your traditional Tarot deck if you like.
The artists who contributed to this deck are as follows:
- Marcantonio Bibbiani
- Giuseppe Billoni
- Marina Falco
- Ernesto Fazioli
- Claudio Scaranari
- Claudio Parentela
- Matteo Arfanotti
- Tiziana Bertacci
- Ornella Lamberti
- Jari Casagrande
- Paolo G. Conti
- Jessica Angiulli
- Renato Meneghetti
- Annamaria Gelmi
- Sara Rotta Loria
- Flavio Bertozzi
- Morena Poltronieri
- Chiara D’Agostino
- Octavia Monaco
- Annamaria Gioia Giorio
- Barbieri Calori martino
- Elisabeth Frolet
- Testi di Francesco Faraoni
Northern Italy is home to the amazing Museo dei Tarocchi, a Tarot museum founded by Morena Poltronieri and Ernesto Fazioli. These two people met in Bologna, Italy in 1992 and became fast friends. Fazioli, who had been reading Tarot cards since 1989, was an expert tour guide and fluent in several key languages. Poltronieri was an avid collector of the Tarot and had been doing Tarot readings for others for decades. Together, they continued their study of the esoteric into the 21st century, moving their families to Riola, Italy in 1999.
When the Hermatena publishing house was founded in 2001, Poltronieri and Fazioli began some of the most imaginative and intriguing Tarot decks in the world. It was almost 4 years later before they began conversion of an old general store into what would become the world's foremost Tarot musuem. The process of converting a 400-year-old building into the Museo dei Tarocchi was labor-intensive but eventually paid off. Today, this enchanting building is as close as you can get to a Tarot paradise. Tarot enthusiasts from all over the world visit this place to view the largest single collection of Tarot decks of all kinds in the world.
Created by Will Parfitt, the Parfait Amour Tarot is an intimate look at the beautiful side of life. Translated as Perfect Love, the title of this deck is appropriate to the images displayed. Cards use deep earth tones and the hues of nature and a closer looks at the individual 22 cards of the Major Arcana could lead the observer to delve into the meaning of life or pursue a powerful vision quest. The enclosed leaflet is written in English and gives brief meanings of each card. These meanings are similar to the Rider-Waite deck, so they can be integrated into your own deck if you so choose.
Only the 22 cards of the Major Arcana of the Tarot are included here. Because of this, the Parfait Amour Tarot is usually recommended for collectors and Tarot enthusiasts. Those who use them in readings are typically individuals who like to meditate on the beauty of each individual card. They can also be used if you have a specific spiritual issue.
Whether you use them as Tarot cards or not, these cards are a beauty to behold and a value to anyone interested in the natural world.
