Sola-Busca: The Hermit -> Falco or Lentulo????

DoctorArcanus

Ross strikes again

The overall similarity between the two images is striking!

Botticelli's Devil even holds a rosary/pearl-necklace similar to the one that Ipeo uses as his belt. I don't understand the meaning of these objects, but it is difficult to think their presence is a coincidence.

Marco
 

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Abrac

Thanks Ross!

After seeing Botticelli's painting it's difficult to imagine the the creator of the Sola-Busca wasn't influenced by it!

-fof
 

DoctorArcanus

Tea's Tomb new site

fools_fool said:
This is a link to Tea's Tomb. It's supposed to be a good Sola-Busca site but it won't open for me. I keep getting a message that says: "sword.lightspeed.bc.ca can't be found." Does anyone know if it's been taken down or has a new URL?

I think I finally found the new URLs that replace Tea's Tomb at lightspeed:
http://www.whichcrafte.com/mystery/tarot/sola/solarepro.asp
http://www.whichcrafte.com/mystery/tarot/sola/sola_info.asp

The first page "On the 1995 Lo Scarabeo Sola Busca Tarot Deck Reproduction" is particularly interesting.

Marco
 

DoctorArcanus

Botticelli, Sola Busca and Marco Zoppo

One of the possible dates for the production of the Sola Busca deck is 1491.
Since the frescos by Botticelli in the Cappella Sistina were painted in 1482, everything seems to fit.
Looking around for more information about this deck, I found this url where they say
Playing Cards: [Zoppo Pr] Zoppo, Marco (ca.1433-1478), attr. "Mato" [Matto/Joker], one of the so-called Sola-Busca Tarocchi. engraving. A fool (matto) has a bagpipe. (E. Ruhmer. Marco Zoppo. Vicenza 1966. fig. 28)

So the deck is attributed to Marco d'Antonio di Ruggero aka "Lo Zoppo". He was born near Ferrara in 1433 and died in Venice in 1478. Venice is consistent with what is currently thought of the Sola Busca deck, but if the deck was painted by Marco Zoppo than it is at least 13 older than what is usually believed. Moreover, the Botticelli fresco we examined did not exist at the time. Possibly there is another author that influenced both Lo Zoppo and Botticelli. A candidate could be Perugino, who was one of Marco Zoppo's teachers: I should have a look at his devils ;)

On the internet I did not find many works by Marco Zoppo. I attach a comparison between a detail of a painting from the Louvre (La Vierge et l'Enfant entourés de huit anges) and two aces from the Sola Busca deck: a lot of putti everywhere :)
 

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Abrac

Thanks for the link to the Latin dictionary Marco, I appreciate it! I went ahead and downloaded the free version.

Now that I've had a chance to look at these cards a little closer, what about Carbone as a candidate for Hermit? With torch in-hand and his walking stick, he makes a pretty good Hermit. He's also associated with the Moon. But are there any others that might possibly fit for Moon?

-fof