The Somnia Tarot

Published July 13, 2026 • Updated July 13, 2026

Nicolas Bruno’s 2023 Illustrated Edition turns a photographic dream project into a Rider-Waite-Smith tarot pack.

The World and Seven of Swords from The Somnia Tarot shown alongside their source photographs

Above: The World and Seven of Swords from The Somnia Tarot, shown alongside the source photographs used for the card designs.

The World and Seven of Swords from The Somnia Tarot, each shown alongside the corresponding source photograph. The paired images reveal how Bruno’s staged photographic scenes were translated into the finished tarot cards.

The Somnia Tarot: Illustrated Edition was published in 2023 by artist Nicolas Bruno. It adapts his photographic tarot project to the familiar Rider-Waite-Smith sequence, using photography, sculpture and costume design to give the cards a distinctly dreamlike character.

Bruno’s work grew from dream journals and his experience of sleep paralysis. The images retain the recognisable structure of the Rider-Waite-Smith pack while replacing conventional drawn scenes with staged photographic compositions. Figures are obscured, costumes and props become part of the symbolism, and familiar archetypes take on a more personal, unsettled quality.

The original photographic edition was independently crowdfunded in March 2021, reaching its goal on launch day. A later Kickstarter campaign for the Revised Edition and Oracle Series raised $80,575 from 731 backers against a $36,000 goal, reaching 224% funding. The Illustrated Edition followed as a separate 2023 presale, with 78 full-colour cards in a two-part box with an information booklet. The official product information gives the cards as 400gsm and credits AdMagic as printer. This edition also includes two additional cards, presented as jokers, whose role is left open to the reader.

Two Somnia Tarot cards shown alongside the photographic scenes that inspired them

Above: Two photographic pairings from Nicolas Bruno’s Somnia project, shown alongside the tarot cards they inspired, including the Knight of Cups.

Two staged photographic scenes from Nicolas Bruno’s Somnia project are shown alongside the finished tarot cards. The pairings highlight how the project’s costumes, props and dramatic compositions were translated into the deck.

Major Arcana

Above: the first half of the Major Arcana, from The Fool through Justice, with familiar tarot scenes reworked as atmospheric photographic compositions.

The second twelve Major Arcana cards from The Somnia Tarot, from The Hanged Man through The World

Above: the second half of the Major Arcana, from The Hanged Man through The World, including the deck’s versions of Death, The Tower, The Sun and The World.

Minor Arcana

Court Cards

Above: the Swords and Cups court cards, with the figures placed in coastal and outdoor settings and often shown with their faces concealed.

Wands and Coins court cards from The Somnia Tarot

Above: the Wands and Coins court cards, combining costumed figures with candlelit interiors, props and recurring circular symbols.

Swords

Above: the Swords, from Ace to Ten, using blades, water, ropes and isolated figures to build a dark and unsettled sequence.

Cups

Above: the Cups, from Ace to Ten, with cups appearing as wells, baskets, vessels and suspended objects within the landscape.

Wands

Above: the Wands, from Ace to Ten, including scenes of fire, candlelight, ceremony and figures carrying or surrounded by staffs.

Coins

Above: the Coins, from Ace to Ten, with the yellow discs carrying a repeated emblem and appearing in scenes of work, shelter and landscape.

Additional cards

Above: two additional cards, one showing a figure on a rooftop and the other a robed figure standing in the sea.

References

The Somnia Tarot: Illustrated Edition presale
Kickstarter: The Somnia Tarot and Oracle Series Decks (later Revised Edition and Oracle Series campaign)

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By Kieran Evans

United Kingdom • Member since July 11, 2026

Tarot collector, enthusiast for all kinds of paper rectangle. Pictures sourced from my collection, credit for all writing goes to the great Adam Wintle.

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