Major Arcana titles: Le Basteleur

In the thread which began this whole Forum (I - Magician), discussion ranged far and wide, but discussion on the etymology of the titles of this card did not really raise their head. Diana mentioned that the card was not the 'Magician', but the 'Bateleur' - which indeed it is.

In another thread (which also eventually became its own Forum: Tarot Basics: 1-The Magician), I mentioned that 'Bateleur' has the connotations of 'buffoon'.

I have personal suspicions that the word may be related to early alchemy, in which some of the early stages in the preparation of the prima materia is softened of chemically prepared and washed for the later transformations which will occur. Of course this also fits well with the task of Magician as the person which assists the metamorphosis, but have not been able to properly ascertain its etymology.

To 'beat' is also, of course, required in the metallurgical process, though I would normally consider this more appropriate when considering the tempering of Temperance much later in the series.

Dictionaries of course give the word's etymology as French 19th century as 'juggler' - and it is worth noting some of the comments Diana brings in the thread titled 'The origin of Tarot, Kris Hadar, and Occitania' - but again, it must, of necessity, given that it appears on cards earlier than the 19th century, be itself earlier

Bezaleel

With the possibility in mind that in *some early* decks the Papesse may have represented the Tabernacle, we may consider Bagatella, Bagatto, Bagatino, Bateleur as having represented Bezaleel; craftsman, jeweller, goldsmith and architect.

"That Bezaleel's attainments as a master mason included occult and alchemical expertise would become a widespread belief in later Judaism and Freemasonry."
-Marsha Schuchard: "Restoring the Temple of Vision", 2002.

"Bezaleel was a skilled goldsmith and Master Craftsman who was placed in overall charge of building the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. Moses, gave the offerings to Bazaleel which means in the image or likeness of God in Aramaic."
see:
EXODUS 31
http://www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeexo31.htm


MANTEGNA'S TAROT
"The Artisan is probably a goldsmith, due to the small working tools scattered over his table, while an assistant peeps from behind. If we covered the left half of this illustration, we would obtain a typical tarot's Magician (with the only difference that the Artisan is sitting). The assistant too recalls the extra characters appearing in "southern pattern" tarots."
http://l-pollett.tripod.com/cards27.htm

"An image of the artisan as goldsmith (alchemist?) also appears in stained glass in the Milan Cathedral (1480) where the objects on the table include bowls, tools, and a ring."
http://www.tarot.com/about-tarot/library/boneill/bagatto

"A relation between the two surviving meanings of TAROCCO apparently exists: the very first Arabic cards which reached Europe through Sicily in mediaeval times, were probably made of (or lined with) thin leaves of gold, finely embossed (i.e. in relief). The same technique, a hammered leaf of gold, was used in the making of some of the earliest western tarots we have proof of, such as the famous Visconti decks. Although no proof can be given, such a luxury decoration for relatively small pictures painted on a pasteboard base, and supposed to be played with, might have been inspired by the same models from which the main subjects (i.e. the Arabic suited cards) were taken. The archaic verb taroccare, now no longer used, indicated the technique by which goldsmiths decorated a surface covering it with a hammered leaf of gold, eventually in a diamond-shaped pattern. All trump cards of the Visconti-Sforza tarot have a similar texture in the background. This is also the root of the French term taroté which indicates the same pattern (i.e. repeated series of adjacent diamonds or squares), still commonly used for card backs.
Therefore, the root of the word might come from an Arabic term in relation with this early decorative technique, a theory which has already been suggested by the Italian playing card magazine Carte ®. And a similar Arabic term actually exists: the verb taraqa, meaning "to hammer", reveals a close resemblance with the western root; the past participle of this verb ("hammered") reads matrûq, whose last part is also quite similar. Could the similarity between taraqa and tarocco be a mere coincidence? "
http://l-pollett.tripod.com/cards3.htm

bateleur, euse n. (anc. fr. baastel « tour d'escamoteur »). Vx. Personne qui se livre à des tours d'adresse ou de force en plein air.

Translation: (from the old French word "baastel" which means a conjurer's trick.) Old French: Someone who performs skillful tricks or feats of skill outdoors.

Diana said:

bateleur, euse n. (anc. fr. baastel « tour d'escamoteur »). Vx. Personne qui se livre à des tours d'adresse ou de force en plein air.

Translation: (from the old French word "baastel" which means a conjurer's trick.) Old French: Someone who performs skillful tricks or feats of skill outdoors.

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In line with the dictionary definition given above by Diana, note the acrobatic feats of this Bateleur, http://www.angelfire.com/space/tarot/bateleur.html
depicted on a poster behind him.

This is from the "Master of the Medieval Hausbuch" Children of Luna page.

Ross

Children of the Moon & De Sphera

http://www.angelfire.com/space/tarot/bagatella.html
Ross's site

He has the circa 1450 Visconti trickster from Bonifaci Bembo, circa 1450 trickster in the Children of the Moon illustration from De Sphera and a similar figure circa 1475 from the D'Este Tarot.

I believe both JMD and Ross Caldwell, as well as others commented on these illuminated manuscripts of astrological figures common to the early Renaissance illustrations. (Thanks to JMD, I ordered a copy of the Renaissance Illuminations book to admire many trumplike illustrations.)

And the Visconti Gold book and a Ferrara history mentions De Sphera as well.

Tibero Gonard in the Visconti Tarot book (subtitled Extrodinary examples of Renaissance art) also says that the image from De Sphaera circa 1450 in the Estense Library of Modena shows a young huckster performing a bit of sleight of hand among the children of the Moon. (He also names the 1475 Bosch painting of a similar trickster.) He cites this in his discussion of the Magician card for the Visconti Gold reproduction deck.

Marquis Borso of Ferrara in 1452 had among other things presented an illuminated manuscript, commentary on Sacrobosco's De Sphaera to the new Emporer Frederick III in 1452. The breathtaking pictures (link provided above) seem very reminiscent of trumplike illustrations. (I found it in Werner Gundersheimer's book on Ferarra history).

To me its some of these beautiful pieces that fell together. Of course Ross and JMD didn't need the book citations to come to these conclusions of beautiful illuminations--but I thought they might enjoy some of the 'connections'.

Another article that shows similar citations (but not pretty color pictures) is Bob O'Neill's trump card discussions, free for all to read below

http://www.tarot.com/about-tarot/library/boneill/bagatto

The problem with a ‘Juggler’ or a ‘Conjurer’ in 1450± was the death penalty.

In the late 1584 Reginald Scott published what is considered by modern sleight of hand magicians as the world first magic book: "The Discovery of Witchcraft”. The book depicted how classic magic tricks were accomplished, not by aid of the devil, but by sleight of hand. Scott illustrated the famous ‘Cut and Restored Ropes’, the ‘Cups and Balls’ (reputed to be the oldest trick in the world – illustrated on the walls of a tomb in Egypt), amongst other tricks (most of which are still performed).

Jean Bodin's "Demonomanie Des Sorciers" (1580) and Jacobus Sprenger's "Malleus Maleficarum" (1494) (the latter is available in a paperback English version, a lovely read) were the textbooks used to find, try, and execute witches. Bodin stated that jugglers were witches (for more information go to this site).

So we have a problem here…the Magician – as an innocent country juggler traveling without a care though the countryside – one step ahead of the Jesuits…

Now once we do away with the toasty stake a Juggler/comedian is just fine.

So lets go back to the images depicted on the earliest cards…

Umbrae said:

The problem with a ‘Juggler’ or a ‘Conjurer’ in 1450± was the death penalty.
AND
So lets go back to the images depicted on the earliest cards…

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Sixteenth century concerns with witchcraft didn't affect the lifestyle of early 15th century Northern Italy. Just as there were court fools, there were also numerous jugglers and conjurers who followed the fair and festival circuit. Accusations of witchcraft may stiffle public trade a little, but that doesn't mean it isn't going on - especially in such a cosmopolitan center as Milan where the rulers were well-known for their interest in magic.

I don't understand the comment about going back to the image? I thought that's what Mari did. (Thank you for the wonderful links.) For the most part he seems to be a craftsman at a fair - whether the craft is juggling or shoemaking.

Why don't we try the original title:

Bagato/Bagatino = a trifle. Related to antique Milanese slang for “chatterbox”, as in someone who has a “patter.” He became the character, Bagatino, of the commedia del arte.

T

Teheuti said:

Sixteenth century concerns with witchcraft didn't affect the lifestyle of early 15th century Northern Italy. Just as there were court fools, there were also numerous jugglers and conjurers who followed the fair and festival circuit. Accusations of witchcraft may stiffle public trade a little, but that doesn't mean it isn't going on - especially in such a cosmopolitan center as Milan where the rulers were well-known for their interest in magic.

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In southwestern Germany alone, more than 3,000 witches were executed between 1560 and 1680.

At one point in England almost 300 people from one town were executed for witchcraft.

When you look at history, the image of a conjuror becomes very curious.

Umbrae said:

In southwestern Germany alone, more than 3,000 witches were executed between 1560 and 1680.

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All, what I know: Had been much, much more.

Teheuti said:

Bagato/Bagatino = a trifle. Related to antique Milanese slang for “chatterbox”, as in someone who has a “patter.” He became the character, Bagatino, of the commedia del arte.
T

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Yes! A chatterbox indeed!

The Bateleur would often accompany the Troubadour. The Troubadour would compose the songs, the poetry or the story, and the Bateleur would sing or recite it for him.

Thanks for telling us what Bagatino means, Teheuti!