Oriental Tarot / Tarocchi Foudraz, Giordano Berti

Le Fanu

I have just received Giordano Berti's latest release, The Oriental Tarot - or Tarocchi Foudraz - a Chinese-style deck from Turin dating from 1845 by Claudio Foudraz. It is breathtaking. Like nothing else among historical tarots. All the excesses of late roccoco chinoiserie but in Marseilles poses. It is really quite extraordinary and you can see more about it here. I love historical tarots but this really is like nothing else - the silk, drapery, poise and billowing pantaloons and lightning-struck pagoda (card XVI). It is so dramatic and elegant. My goodness - and nobody has mentioned it here! It breathes new life into familiar tarot poses and really makes you see tarot afresh.

I have his Sola Busca and Vergnano and Perrin and now this - but this is in a category of its own and a lovely little booklet about Oriental style in the decorative arts and tarot
 

gregory

Isn't it incredible ? I love it - and Berti's presentation is beyond perfect.
 

DeToX

It looks very pretty from what I have seen from Giordano's photos (please feel free to post any of your own :) I haven't seen all the cards, but from what I've seen, it seems to be a Ancient Chinese themed Soprafino deck, but without many of the details (or symbolism?) of a Soprafino deck, so it's neither a true TdM or Soprafino deck, but a one of a kind deck broadly of that type - nothing wrong with that, but obviously one for collectors.
 

Sumada

Thanks Le Fanu - sounds excellent. Not that i needed convincing 😜
 

Philippe

An interesting oddity and I've noticed the savoyard name

To those who already bought the deck : does Mr Berti provide the booklet's reader with biographical and/or genealogical information about the cardmaker ?
 

gregory

Little is known in fact - he was "just" a local civil servant - but what there is is in there, as I recall.
 

Thoughtful

l knew l should not have signed in this afternoon, what do l see, but the most beautiful tarot, l am so enabled by this lovely enchanting Tarot.
All your fault LeFanu :laugh:
 

Le Fanu

All your fault LeFanu :laugh:
I don't feel guilty because people really should click and see and desire because it is a truly exquisite deck. From a time before people talked about "appropriation" and got offended by it, when cultures were sumptuously mixed (it's a very rich, aristocratic, Eurocentric Oriental) and that mix produced something extraordinary. Makes me think of bucolic scenes in rococo boudoirs nowhere near China. I love it, absolutely love it. And the arrangements of the suit symbol pips are completely *out there* and unlike the other decks from that period.

ETA; on the site it says limited edition, 600 copies, but on my title card it says limited edition 700 copies. Just thought I'd point that out...
 

gregory

DO tell Berti - he'd be fascinated.