Le Jeu d’Issy

Jacques Auriac (1922-2003) was a French artist and poster designer who spent many years living and working in Issy-les-Moulineaux, just outside Paris. In 1986, he devised the striking logo for the French National Playing Card Museum in Issy which can be seen on the Jokers and on the back of the box. In the pack itself, famous people connected with the town (Matisse, Dubuffet, Farman, Blériot, etc.) and businesses for which the town became famous are depicted in Auriac’s bold and colourful gouaches. The four suits represent aviation (H), history (C), art (S), and business (D). The pips are arranged in a non-standard fashion. The original gouaches were presented to the Museum on the occasion of an exhibition devoted to the artist’s work in the year 2000.

Above: Le Jeu d’Issy published by the Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer & Galerie d’Histoire de la Ville, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, 2002. Maker unknown. 52 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers + 2 extra cards (with explanatory text in French and English) + fold-out leaflet (in French and English), in tuck box. Size: 56 x 87 mm. © 2002 Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer / Issy-les-Moulineaux.

• Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer►