Mythological and Allegorical tarot
Mythological and Allegorical tarot produced by Peter Paul Fetscher junior, Munich.
This early 19th century double-ended tarot pack produced by Peter Paul Fetscher junior has intricate and detailed designs of mythological and emblematical subjects at each end of the trump cards, surrounded by decorative borders. These amount to about 40 miniature illustrations of various myths, legends or imaginary scenes. The unnumbered fool card shows a musician. On trump card II are tablets with "Peter Paul Fetscher junior Kurfurst Privil: Karten-Fabricant, München in der Sendlinger Gasse Nro. 39".
Tarots with French suit signs (hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades), usually called “Tarok” or “Tarock”, appeared around 1750. While animal tarots were popular, several other varieties evolved over time including natural history, oriental scenes, naval or miltary tarots, Æsop’s Fables tarot, Bourgeois tarot, costume tarots and so on.
The court cards
The 16 court cards are also double-ended, but carry no inscriptions or heraldic motifs. Each card has the same decorative border.
References
O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber, (German 136), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Related Articles
Politiker-Skat by Bubec
Caricatures of world leaders, including many German politicians, by the artist Bubec.
Le Poker Politique
French politicians and various world leaders caricatured by the German artist Bubec.
Mountain Dream Tarot
Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.
Il Tarocco Mitologico
Fully pictorial Tarot designed by Amerigo Folchi with figures mainly from Greek mythology.
The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds
First Australian Tarot, designed by Mary Susan Chamberlain, with artwork by Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg...
Motherpeace Round Tarot
An original and imaginative feminist tarot based on Goddess energy.
Jeu de Tarot (Catel & Farcy)
Colourful version of a standard French (‘Bourgeois’) Tarot.
Johann Nejedly Tarok Cards
Johann Nejedly, a 19th-century Viennese card maker, produced Tarock cards featuring modern scenes th...
Heathen Divinities
Handmade playing cards from the British Museum depicting classical Greek and Roman gods and goddesse...
Unimog UX 100
Cartoons promoting the Unimog UX 100, a small truck produced by Mercedes-Benz.
Juristenskat
Caricatures of lawyers and judges by Philipp Heinisch for HEEL Verlag.
Battles in Mexico, 1847
Uncut proof sheet with Mexican Battle scenes on the aces and portraits of American generals on the c...
Paris 2024 Olympics 2
A standard French Tarot game pack with passing references to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Joseph Sürch, Engraver
Joseph Sürch, a prominent Viennese engraver, made significant contributions to card sheet engraving ...
Double-ended German-suited pack by Josef Glanz, Vienna.
From the British Museum collection.
Tarot – Images du Pays Basque
Seventy-eight photographic images of the French Basque Country on a pack for playing the game of Tar...