The "Soprafino Tarot" pattern

[Penelope]

Bateleur ~ An African Hawk

I had previously noted in Sandra A. Thomson's
Pictures from the Heart, that: "In the Marseilles deck,
"Le Bateleur" (the baton wielder)...

Tom Tadfor Little wrote of Bagatto...
"The word doesn't seem to have any clear meaning,
and the character depicted on the card is not easily
pigeonholed as to his profession."

But as for "Bateleur" it can be found in the eminent
Encyclopaedia Britannica as meaning "Tumbler"

 

[Pipistrelle]

Hi Cerulean,

Thanks for replying. I apologise for not being very clear - I didn't mean to spread my confusion!

I don't think that Sandra A. Thompson's remarks was being specific to the Milanese patterns--I think she is writing in general. From what I gather, Mark Filipas' remarks are likely more narrow, more detailed and based on his observations of the publisher Di Gumppenberg and probably his collection of Italian historical decks.

The Sandra A. Thomson quote I posted was from the entry for The Magician. It was the only bit that I read that seemed to stand out as being relevant to my study of the Classic Tarot's Il Bagatello, i.e. because it specifically mentioned the "cobbler" portrayal. As it assigned this portrayal to the Marseilles pattern, it led me to believe that the cobbler's appearance in the Classic/Soprafino pattern was directly based on the Marseilles.

Then, when I read Mark Filipas post, it seemed to say that Della Rocca had introduced the cobbler portrayal and that it hadn't appeared on any Tarot deck prior to that, hence my confusion.

I may be wrong, but I don't recall seeing the range of specific details of "a cobbler with his array of tools" on decks prior to the Di Gumppenberg. That was my assumption when I read the quote you posted.

If I've got this right, you're saying that Mark was making the point that it was the first time these elements had appeared in <i>an ancient Italian pattern</i>, not necessarily the first time they'd appeared in a Tarot pattern full stop. Please correct me if I'm still wrong!

So the cobbler elements were present in the Marseilles and the Della Rocca, but not in any Italian deck prior to the Della Rocca. Yes, that sorts out the "contradiction" I thought I saw. Sorry about dragging this thread down to my level I just wanted to understand the cobbler connection. I think I'll be taking a look at Mark's e-book also, because his post on the alphabetic correlations were fascinating.

Thanks again,

Pip

 

[Sophie]

I've seen a number of Marseille patterns, including Marseille-inspired patterns in Northern Italy in the 18th Century, in Depaulis & in Schweizer Spielkarten. I've not seen any that had a cobbler Bateleur, or a Bateleur with cobbler's tools among his more usual tricks. I think, therefore, the cobbler on the Soprafino Baggatto card must have another origin than the Marseille & Marseille-inspired patterns. Are there any traces of cobblers in the tarot before the 18th century?

 

[filipas]

Hi pip! I'm here (at least momentarily) after quite a haitus from the lists.

I returned to this thread to try to find out more about why certain elements were included in the cards, specifically why Il Bagatello is portrayed as a cobbler.

I had previously noted in Sandra A. Thomson's Pictures from the Heart, that:
"In the Marseilles deck, "Le Bateleur" (the baton wielder) is a working cobbler, wearing a large-brimmed hat shaped like the lemniscate."

However, Mark . . . appears to contradict this.

He says: " . . . Many of these details appear for the first time with Dellarocca, details such as the eyes you mentioned on Trump VIII (two eyes closed and the open one upon her chest, suggesting that "blind" Justice sees with an inner, truer vision), the urn and fox on Trump X, the many items at Death's feet, the crayfish on a platter in Trump XVIII, the crossroad beneath the dancers of Il Sole, Il Matto's single bare foot, or even the portrayal of Il Bagattela as a cobbler with cobbling tools arrayed -- a portrayal not seen in previous decks.

So, as I understand it, Sandra A. Thomson explains that the cobbler portrayal is present in the Marseilles, whereas Mark suggests it appeared for the first time in the Soprafino...?

Yes, I think you understand the two contradicting statements correctly. I'll echo the other responses here by reasserting that a cobbler portrayal does not appear in the Marseilles pattern, nor for that matter in any pattern previous to the 1835 Tarocchino Milanese (ie., the pattern birthed by Carlo Dellarocca).

Whichever it is doesn't bother me I'd just like to understand where these elements originated. Did Della Rocca reproduce these elements from the Marseilles or did he introduce them himself - as Mark suggested - to deliberately correspond to the Hebrew alphabet?

About the only thing we can be sure of is that these elements and changes did originate with the Dellarocca pattern. This is where the conundrum begins, because there is no visual precedent nor documented design rationale for these. For a host of reasons, I continue to maintain that the design rationale was in fact the Hebrew alphabet/lexicon, but clearly this is an open historical question and (I'm guessing) not a topic which we are likely to see tackled by serious researchers. If any forthcoming explanation 'fits the data better', then I will be all ears.

Thanks,
- Mark

 

[Cerulean]

Just some biographical notes of Di Gumppenberg...

Hello Mark and all,

These notes below are probably faulty, taken from bits and pieces of the Il Solleone newsprint foldouts and beginning to be supplemented by the Lo Scarabeo book on the Ancient Tarots of Lombardy or (Neoclassical 1810) with Giordano Berti/Marisa Chiesa...I'll add more, correct and revise based on comments. The link below shows the original thread to Kenji's posting about a di Gumppenberg in a Japanese museum (pm or email me through the forum board for more info...because I know there's errors in this rough draft).

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=30378&highlight=di+gumppenberg

Di Gumppenberg biographical notes

From the Trade Sites of Milan from Il Solleone
Di Gumppenberg highlights - I notice Il Solleone prints the name as follows:

Ferdinando Gumppenberg

Born Jan 3, 1788 from Franco and Caterina Sala. It says born to Monaco of Baveria, Monoco being a city-state, Baveria being the country in 1788?

1805-1809--Apprenticed in the art of cards press (printers) in the important Fabbicante di Monaco

1809--Enlightenment, the Regia Fabbrica (regional maker?) of the cards transfers to Milan---I believe this is within Napoleon's reign, near the end.

Cerulean Mari's note: I also believe that one of the historical events that might have influenced the making of the Neoclassical of 1811 might have been the birth of Napoleon's son in March of 1811, known as the "King of Rome" and crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy.* (Di Gumppenberg did issue a later deck in celebration of Emporer Ferdinand)

1809-1814 Produces numerous original cards.

1810, 1811 "Tarocco Neoclassico Italiano," Milano - (Note Kaplan suggests 1806 or thereabouts in dating). My copy is reprinted in 1980 in an edition of 1,500.

1812 Marries Marianna Pohl

1814 Liquidation of the Regia Fabbrica di Milano.

Cerulean Mari's note: Possibly this means that the card-making is no longer controlled regionally or restricted or the designation from Napoleon's 'restriction' was lifted and now competition from other Milanese cardmakers

1814, July--Gumppenberg initiates activity near the Giardino (either the garden district?)

1816? I have to translate this note*

1820 - note related to the bottega di Caffe in Borgo di Cittadella

1820 "Il Dilettevole Giuoco del Cucco,"41 cards, stamped 1820, to 1846. Il Solleone published 1,500 copies in 1981. (Cerulean has never seen this set*).

1820-25--produces "Tarocco Vedute e Meistieri de Milano"...alternative name of Trade Sites of Milan Tarocco?
Il Solleone published 1000 copies in 1982.

1825 --Printer negotiates in Corsia del Giadino "sono in vendita anche biglietti della Lotteria"...

1835 (1830-45)--"Tarocchino Lombardo".

Il Solleone's note: engraved by Carlo Dellarocca around 1835, and then the Italian note"...dal Gumppenberg, dal Lamperti e altri in Milano e Lombardia"--note correction below on Lamperti note in 1847. Lamperti is his son-in-law.

Il Solleone published their version of the Dellarocca designs in in 1981 in a limited edition of 2,000. There is another version by Lo Scarabeo, I believe.

We know this title as the Tarocco Italiano Soprafino with engravings by Carlo della Rocca.

Given this information, the mysterious beautiful additions to the Dellarocca designs might have been innovations by Lamperti and Dellarocca?

1838-40 Produces "Tarocco Della Corona Ferrea"

Iron Crown of Lombardy Tarocco * from Edizioni del Solleone, reprinted 2,500 copies, 1979.

(Link is to Iron Crown of Lombardy summary that mentions Napoleon and Ferdinand.

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclo...own-of-Lombardy

1847-He concedes the printmaking in general to Lattanzio Lamperti, the spouse of his daughter Paola.

Lamperti Tarocco sample:

http://www.wopc.co.uk/italy/lamperti.html

(R. Somerville had an old link to 22 card mignon Tarocco from Lo Scarabeo, but it's no longer available).

1855- Dies after 67 years.

*A quick translation. Any input appreciated, I'll correct later. I'm still gathering references, which includes the Lo Scarabeo book, and a catalog from the defunct publishing house of Solleone, edited by Vito Arienti.


Regards

Cerulean

 

[Pipistrelle]

Hi pip! I'm here (at least momentarily) after quite a haitus from the lists.

Hi Mark - nice to meet you "in person"! Your posts have been fascinating.

Yes, I think you understand the two contradicting statements correctly. I'll echo the other responses here by reasserting that a cobbler portrayal does not appear in the Marseilles pattern, nor for that matter in any pattern previous to the 1835 Tarocchino Milanese (ie., the pattern birthed by Carlo Dellarocca).

Thank you!! That's exactly the kind of "idiot's guide" explanation I needed. I am no longer confused (well, not on this issue, anyway)

Pip

 

[Cerulean]

There's a classification for the Della Rocca Soprafino Tarots

http://i-p-c-s.org/pattern/ps-5.html

Even with the variations pictured by the cards in International Playing Card Society page, it seems to suggest the International Playing Card Society designates this as a 'pattern' and exceptions are noted...if the size differs, if it's double-ended...I like this classification.

Hope this helps others.

Cerulean

 

[connegrl]

I'm reopening this thread after receiving an Il Meneghello edition of the Soprafino tarot. I don't have a vast collection of historical decks and normally just want to be able to read with my decks. This deck has some stuff on it that appears to be unique and perhaps tongue in cheek. I haven't located (I'm limited) any earlier decks that have included a person looking back out of the card at the reader as I see in Il Papa. When I first got the deck I was looking thru it with my reading glasses and I noticed that not only did La Giustizia have her eyes closed and an open eye over her chest, but if you look closely at the foot peeking out from under her robes, her toenails have been painted! The deck is full of little details like this and I'd love to know if there are any theories as to why. Occult sysmbolism or just an artist with a sense of humour? Surely someone who frequents this forum can help satisfy my curiousity.

Jen

 

[filipas]

This deck has some stuff on it that appears to be unique and perhaps tongue in cheek. .. The deck is full of little details like this and I'd love to know if there are any theories as to why. Occult sysmbolism or just an artist with a sense of humour? Surely someone who frequents this forum can help satisfy my curiousity.

Jen

Hi Jen,

Your question touches the very reason this thread was started! You should review the earliest posts here; post #13 in particular proposes the only reasonable explanation that I know of for these riddling additions by Dellarocca. My web site, however, has changed its address by the addition of a single letter ("m") and so should read, for example:

http://www.spiritone.com/~mfilipas/Masquerade/Essays/iota.html

I would add that the Jastrow dictionary is not difficult to obtain and is perhaps indispensible for anyone who wishes to really determine how alphabetic Dellarocca's iconography actually is. One does not have to read the entire lexicon to reference the uncannily alphabetic position of just the more obscure items pictured, such as the shoemaker’s form or 'last' (AMVS) on the cobbler's table, the 'spurs' (DRBN) on the Emperor, the 'ram' (ZMR, ZKR) between the Chariot's horses, the 'thonged sandal' (ChBT, ChVT) on Justice, the 'tuber' (TYNR) at the hermit's feet, the 'fire' (YQYDA) and 'urn' (YDVD) on Fortune's Wheel which became a standard iconography on several later decks, the 'stake' (LChY) on Trump XII, and the numerous seemingly random objects at Death's feet such as the 'saw or serrated tool' (MGRH, MSR), the 'miter' (MGBTzTH KHVNH), the 'Makhlalta or great crown' (MKLLThA), the 'broom' (MBYNA, MTATA, MKBD), the 'mallet' (MQBTh), and the 'brushes' (MKChL, MKThB) among several others.

- Mark

 

[Cerulean]

I have coloring samples of the black/white Della Rocca and Genovese

...and have been also enjoying the double-ended Tarot Genovese, which still has some Della Rocca details--such as Justice with the eye necklace and her eyes closed--although the coloring is nearer to the Lo Scarabeo's "Ancient Italian Tarot"...

I'd enjoy posting the colored versions, but thought it should be in a separate thread and don't quite know which forum to put them in...perhaps "Tarot Deck Creation" as they are feeding into design thoughts for a deck with Della Rocca and Mark Filipas' Alphabetic Tarot notes as inspiration.

If there's interest, please pm me and I'll take pictures and post...but don't want to bore anyone.

Best wishes,

Cerulean