Fantastic Menagarie

Heya

Well, I know there is already a thread about this deck, but it seems more focused on the publishing etc, so I thought this would be a nice thread for people who have the deck to talk about it

When I opened it, I instantly loved it. I love the wide range of colours, it looks so pretty and life like.

It reminds me of illustrations I had in my Beatrice Potter books when I was very little.

So far, it has worked wonderfully in readings, for me at least

I think my favourite card so far is the 9 of Swords, it really captures the card meaning for me. Much better than the traditional RWS picture.

I'm not sure what my least favourite card is, possibly the Magician or 10 of Swords.

So, what do you guys all think of this wonderful deck??

Yes, The Magician is a difficult one - we deliberately put in a figure who is very like a human (he's an ape of course) and it feels uncomfortable. In a good way I think, but I agree, it's the least immediately appealing card in a sense - works beautifully in a reading though.

Have to say that I like the 10 of Swords - it makes me laugh, but then, I like to think that the rat may simply have fainted...

I'm relieved that you find the 9 of Swords works well - our Swords cards are sometimes quite harsh in the deck, and we did think long and hard about that. Then again, the tradition of anthopomorphised animals is quite a harsh one - you only have to read "The Walrus and the Carpenter" poem to see that. So it seemed to be true to Grandville not to make the deck too sweet - it needs edge too.

I'd love to hear what others are making of this deck now that it's out and about. I'm also aware that there are sections from the book that never made it to the site (we have some disastrous disc crashes so we are a month behind with many things). I'l get that done as it will give a better idea of the breadth of what Sophie did.

Could we see a scan of the Magician? I am very curious now.
Blessings

Here it is...

I was just looking at the samples of cards in our deck section of this site, being curious after receiving a good reading from KoW yesterday with this deck. The illustrations remind me of Beatrix Potter, and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. (I have a very old edition of that book.) Since I love Tarot of Prague and the artistry and imagination that went into those cards, I think Fantastic Menagerie will be my next deck. The colors have caught my eye and I felt very soothed, almost as if I was transported to a time when I was a child and thoughts of paying bills, and going to work were nonexistent. I will know better when I touch and hear the deck. I know, it is just drawings on stiff paper, but I felt the same way when I touched ToP and listened to it shuffle on my wood table. It was like talking to an old friend. (going now to order Fantastic Menagarie).

Baroli

PS KoW, the Magician looks to me like an actor, weaving his spell of illusion on the audience. Another thought that came to mind was that of an orator or a lawyer, pleading his case to the court. Hmmm, definitely ordering this deck when I get affected by a picture. Thanks!!

Baroli52 said:

I was just looking at the samples of cards in our deck section of this site, being curious after receiving a good reading from KoW yesterday with this deck.

Click to expand...

Thanks Baroli

Baroli52 said:

The illustrations remind me of Beatrix Potter

Click to expand...

Woooh I thought I was the only one...

Thanks KoW!
I love that Magician. He is a bit haunting but that's ok for me, Baba is very right, if the deck is only sugarcoated, that would do no justice to the vision of Grandville. The deck stays on my wishlist, definitely. I am green of envy of course because it may take a while before I can get it.
Blessings

Oh POOP!!!!

I have checked two sites, and noone seems to have this yet instock.

I will have to keep an eye on them because now I am obsessed with owning this deck.

Baroli

Hi KOW - glad you like the deck!

The Magician is not a simple one, but I think he works if you allow yourself to follow what he is, and what he is doing. An ape and an actor, at first sight he represents the old-fashioned trickster Bateleur/Magician. But acting - and all art - have two sides to them: to the "trick" of the senses and of the mind that all art - including theatre - represents, we can add the true magic and transformation that comes from contact with a vivid stage performance, a compelling piece of music or a compelling painting. In addition, there is an element of masked/unmasked about the actor-ape-magician, which is very close to the Thoth-Magician: who is both performer and masked trickster - remember many magicians and shamans are masked - and really magical. In a way, the performance is the magic. In the ancient world, there was no difference between religion, magic, and theatre - all were born together. You see that link still in the rituals of initiations of tribes in Africa or the Pacific, which are religious magic and performance all at once, or in the shadow puppet shows of Indonesia, which are theatre and religio-magical ceremonies.

In the story I wrote to go with the Magician card, and in the accompanying explanatory text, I tried to bring out that link between theatre and magic, trickery and truth - but in the tongue-in-cheek way that Grandville himself used in his drawings.

This card, as Karen wrote, is particularly close to Grandville. Grandville often represented artists, including himself, as monkeys. He was well aware of our close kinship with apes, and underlined it frequently in his animal-human drawings. He also saw art, including his own, very much as a trick - and yet, true and sincere. Real transformation through trickery? Real trick through magic? Up to you to decide. Grandville was a life-long fan of the theatre - having come from a theatrical family and spent part of his early years in Paris designing theatre sets and costumes. So this card, more than any other, carries the spirit of Grandville in it. He is the Magician of the Fantastic Menagerie...

I have to add that the drawing from which the Magician is taken is a visual literary pun on a famous verse by Racine - Grandville was having fun with his audience (most of whom would be familiar with that verse - "Qui sont ces serpents qui sifflent sur nos têtes?") and at the same time disarming his critics by likening them to snakes.

The Swords are a visually hard suit in the Fantastic Menagerie. I had to grapple with that too, as I very much believe in the idea that no card is all negative or all positive. But the Swords are so strong and eloquent, I found them very much in tone with a certain view of that suit - and with Grandville's own sharp but pessimistic mind. I'm with Karen - I love that 10 of Swords, especially the expression on the crocodile's face

Sorry to interrupt this thread you lucky piggys- But Tarot Garden has the deck now.......yay yay yay dum diddly dum dum, I am off to load up my credit card... I am a happy little chappy as of today and Tarot Garden is sooooo quick, I will be back here to this thread next week.......
~Rosanne
My thanks to the Gods of Patience and Fortitude and their wee offspring Sanity!!!!!!