Here’s a snapshot of tarot times gone by – a style and beauty cover from a 1940 copy of McCall’s magazine, by photographer Nickolas Muray.
As a photographer, he was acclaimed for his portraits of celebrities, as well as the images he created for high-end advertisements and magazine spreads. Muray was also an Olympic fencer, bringing home a bronze medal in 1932. He was romantically involved with Mexican artist Frida Kahlo for many years.
The cards on the table are from a Marseille Tarot, which is still readily available. The plaid design on the back of each card is called a tarotee design. The Wands, or Batons, look almost like the Swords — except for the fact that the Swords have curved blades.
In the Tarot de Marseille, as is standard among Italian suited playing cards, the pip cards in the suit of swords are drawn as abstract symbols in curved lines, forming a shape reminiscent of a mandorla. On the even numbered cards, the abstract curved lines are all that is present. On the odd numbered cards, a single fully rendered sword is rendered inside the abstract designs. The suit of wands is drawn as straight objects that cross to form a lattice in the higher numbers; on odd numbered wands cards, a single vertical wand runs through the middle of the lattice. On the tens of both swords and batons, two fully rendered objects appear imposed on the abstract designs. The straight lined wands and the curved swords continue the tradition of Mamluk playing cards, in which the swords represented scimitars and the wands polo mallets.
Image source: The George Eastman House Collection on Flickr.
It’s interesting to see how the Romany/Gypsy stereotype was still in full play for this photo shoot. Kinda surprised they forgot to toss a couple of coins about for props.
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In my opinion it is a very interesting photograph. The ethnic woman looks more Indian than Romany Gypsy, and I beg to ask the question why is she reading the other ladies palms, if she is using the Tarot? But this is only a personal perspective.
I simply adore the Marseilles Tarot deck by Jodorowsky & Camoin. This deck has a lot of detail, which is missed in a lot of other Marseilles Tarot deck sets. For example the Magician card actually has dice on the table, with clear numbers which you can read and have a numerological significance. Plus certain colours like green, you see more in Marseilles Tarot deck by Jodorowsky & Camoin.
I appreciate other Tarot decks, but this is my favourite, especially as they have been restored by Mr.Camoin who is a descendant of the Marseilles family. Very recently I read an article by Mary k Green, about her experience of giving Tarot readings with a group of Tarot readers in the White House with President Obama, being present with his wife, and again the costume dress, epitomising Romany Gypsies, rears its humorous head.
Its funny how people think of the Tarot being connected to fortune telling, rather than Alchemists creating a book in pictures, teaching people how to know themselves and the world around them, through Higher Consciousness.
Perhaps its time for more lightness and playfulness around the atmosphere of the Tarot, so I enjoyed seeing this photograph. Thanks Corrine
I agree with you, Edgar! Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
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