Jungle Playing Cards
Welcome to the jungle – a delightful deck from South Africa.
Above: preliminary sketches, courtesy Studio MUTI.
Monkeys, birds, and large cats frolic in a bright, lush landscape in this deck designed by Studio MUTI in Cape Town, South Africa and published by Art of Play. “The tribal themes are all fictitious, conceived from a fantastical ancient civilisation. Think subtropical jungles reclaiming sculptures from a forgotten time and the wildlife that would be roaming under the canopy of the rainforest,” Clint Campbell, MUTI’s co-founder and director, told me. “Orchids and creepers ensnaring artefacts. A distant drum beat carrying a psychedelic vision of technicolor jungle creatures.”
As can be seen, the ornamental geometric illustrations feature stylised jungle fauna, insects and foliage arranged in intricate symmetrical compositions, including totemic symbols and a hint of folk-art ornament.
Jungle Playing Cards designed by Studio MUTI in Cape Town, South Africa and published by Art of Play, 2916.
MUTI has ventured into other playing cards projects, including a Babylon-themed deck ►
By Lev Golinkin
United States • Member since May 26, 2026
I'm a US-based author and journalist. I've been collecting playing cards since I was about 8 years old, when I got mesmerized by the various decks that were used in Soviet Ukraine, where I'm from. I collect mainly European decks such as those by Dondorf, Grimaud, and Piatnik. I love courts above all else, and am drawn toward historical and artistic decks.
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