The Game of Saturn (sola busca book)

Sentient

Did you watch the video?
 

Abrac

They start talking about the book and deck about 15 min. in. It's very good and gives an outline of what it's all about. It's completely theoretical but to me it has more of a ring of truth than any other theory I've heard. :)
 

earthair

Thanks :) I think I gave up listening a little too early!
In your opinion are his opinions worth listening too? Is he a trustworthy source re art history and the occult in general?
Sounds fascinating, and my TOADie instincts are kicking in...even just to see really good reproductions of the cards.
 

Abrac

As I said, what he talks about has the ring of truth to me, so yes, I would say from what I've heard he has his historical ducks in a row. I don't know so much about art history, but as far as history of the Italian elites and their connection with the occult, he seems to have a firm grasp. If I read the book I'm sure I'd find things I disagree with but in general his theories seem sound. I don't plan on buying the book, at least for what it's going for now; I'm hoping eventually it will make its way to a mass market version.

Just listen to audio. I couldn't get it to play in my browser for some reason but it's up on YouTube. Download it and then you can easily jump back and forth.
 

maenifold

I'm hoping eventually it will make its way to a mass market version.

The publishers, Scarlet Imprint, have just said on Twitter that there is now also going to be a paperback version.
 

Abrac

Excellent news. :)

In the interview, he says he believes the deck was created for Menudo Sanuto, "the great diarist." I believe this is probably a reference to Marino Sanuto the Younger, as opposed to Marino the Elder; "menudo" meaning small or little, it refers to the younger Marino. He's in the right time period and he was a diarist, his greatest work being his Diarii, filling 58 volumes. Peter also refers to him as Venitian and Marino the Younger was Venitian.
 

kwaw

Excellent news. :)

In the interview, he says he believes the deck was created for Menudo Sanuto, "the great diarist."

Marino Sanuto as possible recipient of the (painted) deck has been proposed for quite some time -- by Gnaccolini I believe initially, who proposes that the letters "M.S." on the Aces of Batons and Swords, in light of the family Venier heraldry that appears on the painted deck (on the Aces of Swords and Batons and trumps I, IIII, XIIII, and XV), may be the initialls of Marino Sanudo / Sanuto (whose mother was a Venier) - another possibility mentioned is his cousin, Marco Sanudo

All we can say with some degree of certainty is that a member of the Venier family had a copy of the deck coloured for them, with their stemma added -- possibly in 1491 (the venetian dating information appears in the painted deck, it is not on the original engravings)

We cannot draw from this for sure that a member of the Venier commissioned the deck -- shields were possibly left blank, as they are on the B/W engravings, for the specific purpose of enabling them to be coloured with the devices and stemma of purchasers

Excellent news about a paperback edition :)