You never know what you might find...

...sniffing around shops that smell of patchouli and where the kholed owners don't dust their displays very often.

I was in such a shop this lunchtime, looking for a TdM for a friend. I glanced in the messy window display, and half-hidden by a faded cloth, was a Ukiyoe tarot.

I wasn't looking for it. If I'd not seen it there, I would not have bought one. But I remember reading Cerulean's adoring poetry about the Ukiyoe, and I trust her taste... So I am now the proud and slightly taken aback owner of an OOP Ukiyoe, which must have cost me all of 40 Swiss Francs, which is good value here.

First impression: dazzling! It sticks like a limpet to traditional tarot - to Marseille even (in that Kaplan respected the Ukiyoe era, which is approximately the same as when the Marseille was developing in France). Somehow it works...Those figures remind me of an exhibition I saw a few years ago - I know very little about Ukiyoe, apart from what I saw then. Joy and wit hum through the cards and I see some cunning mingling of very different spiritual traditions.

More later. Once again I have to thank Cerulean, whose delight in all things beautiful - and Japanese - is so catching.

Lucky you!

I have only seen scans on the deck list and such like, but I always thought it was beautiful.

It was hiding, waiting, just for you.

Synchronicity.

The deck did not call 'YO- Helvetica Baby! OVER HERE!'

You did not walk the streets calling 'Here, Ukiyoe Tarot! Here, Ukiy-Ukiy!'

You walked into a place you might not normally have walked into and there it was! The deck was half-hidden so that you alone would find it. No grand design; no master plan - you were meant to be the one to walk in and find it. The Universe works in strange, mysterious, and wonderful ways. Congratulations!

Looks like you were "meant" to find that deck Helvetica, I hope you do wonderful readings with them.

Sx

I'm echoing Lillie by saying 'Lucky you'.

I'm also echoing Tarotbear by saying 'Synchronicity'.

Thanks for sharing. I haven't actually ever seen any scans of this deck, I've just looked at the ones on Aeclectic. It's lovely.
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/ukiyoe/

Love Sulis xx

tarotbear said:

You walked into a place you might not normally have walked into and there it was! The deck was half-hidden so that you alone would find it. No grand design; no master plan - you were meant to be the one to walk in and find it. The Universe works in strange, mysterious, and wonderful ways. Congratulations!

Click to expand...

Thanks -and to everyone else! Actually, tarotbear, I go to that shop fairly often and always look in the display window, because it's packed with decks. I've never seen the Ukiyoe before - so either I missed it, or they have taken it out of old stock (the box is faded, they must have had it for a while).

Lillie - maybe it whistled at me, like an old hearing aid

Sienna - the deck chose me! (or not...)

Sulis - it's lovely indeed. So strange to be looking at something that is both strange and familiar. Exciting, in fact!

Just checked out the cards, Helvetica. They look lovely and I can understand your likening them to the Marseille. There is also something about Robert Place's work that I am reminded of. I noticed that there is two different back designs. The brownish ones with red floral design look lovely.

I hope you enjoy your deck.

LB

LB - thanks! The backs are the brown ones with red floral (actually leafy) and gold rivers - and yes, they are lovely.

I see what you mean about Robert Place's work - yes, especially in the Buddha Tarot.

It's curious it can be so faithful to the Marseille and yet look so Japanese - except, not so strange, since it was made entirely in Japan. I am assuming Kaplan's brief to the artist was - take the Marseille and turn it into Ukiyoe art!

And the artist did - and beyond, I think, but I need to spend more time with it, and familiarize myself with the spirituality of the time. It was a time of transition, when much of the purity and independence of the samurai had been diverted by the shogun, yet Buddhist ideals were strong.

I have only one regret, looking through these cards: that the often erotic nature of Ukiyoe art was not reflected. I suppose Mr Kaplan found it hard to imagine a buying public for refined coïtus on tarot cards in his puritanical country . Or maybe it just didn't seem to fit tarot...It's a shame to think that, because tarot reflects the world, and much of the world is erotic.


Edited: Gracious! I just realised I reached post nr. 5555! The Judgement! I'm glad it wasn't a totally silly one!

I think that it is the simplicity that reminds me of the Marseille; the same with Place's work. I don't like things to be too over complicated or crowded when it comes to tarot, so I recognised that, with the similar Marseille layout in the few majors that I saw.

I bet it will make a nice alternative to the Marseille on occasion. The minor cards looked very interesting. I like the colouring on some of the samples that I saw. I imagine that this deck will be a pleasure to work with.

Best, LB

I have one of these to trade if anyone wants it...PM me for price.