Jeu de Cartomancie pour l’amusement des Dames

This early French cartomancy deck was published in 1788, and contains 66 cards with a variety of everyday figures, domestic scenes, as well as mythological figures. The titles of the cards are inscribed in brown ink. Although the set is described as "Cartomancy game for the amusement of Ladies", it is more or less contemporary with Antoine Court de Gébelin’s claims for the Egyptian origins of Tarot (1781) and also Jean-Baptiste Alliette’s book about tarot divination (1770) and his series of tarot decks for that purpose, which aroused more interest in these topics. The repertoire of imagery can be traced back to a blend of allegories and symbols from various cultures and historical periods, which were familiar to people of the time and served for self-reflection and prophecy. Cartomancy was evolving into a new form of parlour entertainment, which progressed into Mlle. Lenormand decks of the 19th century, with which people began to enquire about their destinies.

Almost 250 years later, today's vast selection of cartomancy, oracle and tarot decks offer countless new creative ways to explore your identity and see what your luck might be in the future.

Above: cards from early French Cartomancy deck titled “Jeu de Cartomancie pour l'amusement des Dames" (also referred to as Jeu divinatoire révolutionnaire") published by M.Desforges, rue de Bourbon – Villeneuve, 1788. Total 66 cards: intaglio engraving, hand-coloured; 8.8 x 5.9 cm. White backs. The titles of the cards are mostly inscribed in brown ink but in more than one style of handwriting. The publication of the game was announced in the Gazette de France, September 30, 1788. Source gallica.bnf.fr / BnF

References

• Bibliothèque nationale de France Jeu de Cartomancie pour l'amusement des Dames►
• Jean-Baptiste Alliette, “Etteilla, ou Manière de se recréer avec un jeu de cartes”, Amsterdam, 1770
• Antoine Court de Gébelin, “Le Monde primitif analysé et comparé avec le monde moderne”, Paris, 1777-1781.