Jacques Viéville: Sun Moon & Star

Jacques Viéville: The Sun and The Moon and The Star

Created by a 17th century cartier using the name Jacques Viéville
the following 3 cards present a unique view of the Tarot heavens.

Whether he was depicting original ideas, or copying from another
deck there are still very important questions as to What and Why.

What details present us with the most striking insights and meanings,
and Why did this artist deliberately choose to illustrate them like this?

If I look at the Vieville deck from the perspective of simple joy of historical variation, what I am lead to are some similar depictions outside card decks that are certainly reminiscent of these images.

If I consider the sequence of card depictions within the deck itself, then the other which seems to importantly form part of the sequence is the lightning-bolt ('Foudre'/Tower) card, in which we again have an individual (this time a shepherd) gazing towards the heavens at what appears like a meteorite shower - impending sign of last days and final judgement to come.

Like many cards from the deck, however, these seem to deviate significantly from what may be considered more traditional. Card XVI has the Tower itself not depicted, card XVII depicts an astronomer/astrologer with measuring implement (compasses), card XVIII, though the Moon itself is there, has none of the other traditional representation, card XVIIII, though, again, the Sun itself is depicted, shows a person on horseback (incidently also copied later on by some Belgium decks, which Waite Colman-Smith also later utilised instead of the more traditional 'twin' depiction).

Personally, and though I thoroughly appreciate having a copy of the re-printing of this deck, I personally see it as the wonderful personal (or collective, if not designed by a single individual) deviation from what I would consider from a stricter Tarot 'canon', as depicted in the Marseille pattern.

What I would personally thoroughly enjoy reading are the investigations from those interested in researching this deck further - a research paper, not necessarily from a historical perspective, but even exegesis of the deck as given.

Red herring?

I have been searching 'Vieville' and stretching my school French in a very big way. In one article(no translation available) I found a statement that seemed to explain the Flag/pennant on the X1X The Sun. Apparently, if I got the meaning correctly the flag indicated that this was not a Catholic Deck. I have not been able to find out if the flag was from the Languedoc region, as the word Langue d'oc was included in the essay. I may have got it wrong. I have not been able to find anything out about the 'dew drops' on the the three cards. All pictures I have looked at have not had rays depicted like that and all I could think of was some association with water- Aquarius- The Star,Pices-the Moon and no water association for the Sun. So I guess in the main I am not adding to ellucidation. I am just bumping the thread 'cos it fascinates me. Awaiting response from the Brain trust- Regards Rosanne ps. Still hoping my fancy that it is something to do with memory of Cosmic events will pan out.

someone reply... please

I have just got my vieville and have to say I am smitten (obviously I still love my conver). Yes these three cards intrigue me (being so different from the marseille), and I would also include foudre which is portrayed differently as well. The star I believe has the same meaning normally associated with the star, although I read somewhere that the literal translation of the title of the vieville (as shown on the 2 cups and another card) is "stars". It shows an astronomer trying (succeeding?) to measure the stars - a symbol of hope, trying to understand something spiritual/godly? It is as if he is trying to find the reality of his dreams (we wish on stars) he needs to understand them. It reminds me of the ancient greeks discovering new wonders and changing their views on life and the earth. Although why it is portrayed this way I am not sure.

Does anyone else have any views on these cards? I would love to discuss them more, but am afraid to do so on my own! I have some ideas about all of them, but they are uninformed, just ideas I have after looking at them.

Love Fluffy

Hi Fluffy

We've got a good thread right here if you'd like to
keep it going with your comments and questions...
I'm always finding new things in my lovely Vieville!

I have been thinking about buying the Viéville for a few months now. It seems such a wierd and quirky deck that it really appeals to me

I've read about it here on Aeclectic and also on Andy's Playing Cards

The reversed depiction and numbering, plus the sequence is what seems most instantly noticeable... but also it seems to be a kind hybrid between the French and Italian pattern (so I understand).

That devil card is quite amazing, and the Moon is intriguing.

If I get it, I'll be back....

Foudre

I am struck (ha, ha) by the oddness of this card. It is usually called the Maison dieu (house of God), but a tower is being struck and people are falling out. This card shows a shepherd holding his hands up to "feel"? the rain/hail/lightening? and running to hide under a tree with his flock. It has always struck me as strange, if it were lightening that was coming down then the last thing you should do would be to hide under a tree isn't it? I always understood that they would get struck first! So I am reminded of a quote I read of JMD's somewhere "devil leading some to the gates of hell". So I started thinking, there is no-one else on the devil card, he is perhaps the cause of the storm on the foudre (the stuff coming out of the devils's mouth),on his way to wreak havoc and that we (the sheep) should not blindly follow our shepherd (priests? others who have been called shepherd?) because there way leads to ruin (under the tree), so this card is about thinking about things for yourself to find the truth and again the breaking down of beliefs so well ingrained/indoctrinated.

Anyway got any views or does that sound ridiculous?

Does anyone know what the spinner has got to do with the moon? is she infact really spinning? I have some thoughts on that also!

Love Fluffy
ps Moonbow, if you get this deck (which really is fascinating and has a very scary XIII on it) please come back and talk about it!

pps I LOVE the diable card in this deck.

Does anyone know of a site showing the whole deck?

Just to save anyone else doing the same thing, a Google image search turned up 10 of the atouts at www.tarot.org.il, but I've failed to reach them from the home page of the site (probably because I'm dim). Does anyone here know their way round this site?

16th card = 16th letter

fluffy said:

I am struck (ha, ha) by the oddness of this card. It is usually called the Maison dieu (house of God), but a tower is being struck and people are falling out. This card shows a shepherd holding his hands up to "feel"? the rain/hail/lightening?...

Click to expand...

Letter 16: Ayin eye, fountain
Tarot Jaques Vieville XVI (La Maison Dieu)

The relationship between "eye" in Hebrew
and "sheep" in Aramaic, can be understood
as the eye of the sheep continuously looking
towards its shepherd, and the eye of the
shepherd always watching over his sheep.

Rabbi Y. Ginsburgh

______________________

also see: AYIN
http://www.inner.org/hebleter/ayin.jpg

Physical vision; Color spectrum; A fountain.
The fountain of wisdom and the ability to perceive wisdom.

The sheep looking toward the shepherd;
the shepherd watching over his sheep.