tarocchi
Marseille Tarot
The Tarot of Marseille is the classical French model of tarot deck, established between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in the print shops of Marseille, Lyon and Paris. It is the deck that handed down the "official" structure of European tarot: 22 major arcana with titles in old French, four suits (Bâtons, Coupes, Épées, Deniers) and geometric and symbolic illustrations.
History
The roots go back to fifteenth-century Italian decks (Visconti-Sforza, Mantegna Tarot). In the seventeenth century, French print shops standardised a popular low-cost model. The term "Tarot of Marseille" became established in the nineteenth century thanks to the writings of Etteilla, Eliphas Lévi and Papus, who made it the reference deck of French occultism.
Iconographic features
Unlike the Rider-Waite (1909), the minor arcana of the Marseille tarot are not illustrated with narrative scenes: they show only the suit symbols in geometric arrangement. This forces the reader into a more symbolic approach. Modern schools of reading (Jodorowsky, Wirth) have emphasised colour, the gaze of the figures and numerology.
FAQ
Is it the "true" tarot?
It is the traditional French model, one of the oldest standardised. The "true tarot" does not exist: every deck is a version of the tradition.
Which edition is recommended?
The reproductions of Nicolas Conver (1760) and Jean Dodal (1701-1715) are among the most philological. Modern restorations such as the Jodorowsky-Camoin also exist.
Is it suitable for beginners?
More demanding than the Rider-Waite. For those starting out, the Rider-Waite is better, then moving to the Marseille for deeper study.