I TAROCCHI DI FERRARA - The Tarot of Ferrara
22 Major Arcana Deck
Artist: Mariarita Frazzoni
Theme: History and Art of Ferrara Seen Through the Prism of Tarot
Italian Leaflet by Morena Poltronieri
English Edit by Arnell Ando
Two Versions Available:
Large Special Edition Cards: 6 in. wide x 9 in. long (15.24 x 22.86 cm)
Numbered & Signed by the Artist, Boxed with Museo Hot Wax Seal
Limited to only 30 sets -
Price: €.190 Euro + Italian Postage
Or Standard Size: 4'' W x 6''L (10 x 15 cm) Cards
Book-style Cover, Tied with Twine or Ribbon, Or in a Gift Box
Limited to 100 Numbered Decks
Price: €.45 Euro + Italian Postage
Both Printed on Textured, Matte Cardstock - Card Backs Blank (Reversible)
Card Titles in Italian with Roman Numerals
Published by Museo Dei Tarocchi - Hermatena - 2012
*Special Price for U.S. Customers Below
Description: The Tarot of Ferrara is an exceptionally lovely deck, steeped in the history and lore of this ancient Renaissance town. The artwork was created from a variety of mediums including pastels, tempera, inks and watercolor. The cards were produced by Museo dei Tarocchi in two versions. A large, limited edition for collectors, consisting of only 30 numbered sets, signed by the artist, Mariarita Frazzoni. And a standard size limited to 100 numbered sets. As with her popular deck I Tarocchi di Bologna, the art in this one is a symphony of colors, portraying characters and scenes of a historical and mystical nature along with prominent landmarks showcasing this extraordinary Renaissance village that has held close to its deep, mystical past.
As an underlying theme, some of the cards include unicorns which have a symbolic tie to the royal Este family that commissioned a great deal of esoteric art during their impressive reign, including the famous astrological 'Hall of Months' series of frescoes which can still be visited in the Schifanoia Palace.
The style of this deck is reminiscent of fairytales since it was created by this well known and beloved illustrator
of Italian children's books. For over a decade Mariarita Frazzoni has been collaborating closely with the
Tarot Museum and has made the art for two other popular decks;
Abracadabra
– The Witches Tarot and the previously mentioned
Magic Bologna ‘al Top’ Tarot.
Mariarita was born in the nearby city of Bologna where she continues to live and work. She spent over a year creating the artwork for this gorgeous deck. The original artwork is 23 x 38 cm. (9 x 15 inches). In March - June 2012 it was on special exhibit at the Palace Home of Marfisa Este (Palazzina di Marfisa d'Este) which is now a museum. Lore about Marfisa Este; a great patron of the arts and the infamous daughter of Francesco d'Este, is shared on the Chariot card in this deck. (VII shown below).
The way this particular deck was printed looks almost as if each card is hand painted. The colors practically jump off the page (especially apparent with the jumbo sized deck, but the artwork also looks wonderful in the standard sized version). It is printed on high quality, textured paper (it looks and feels like watercolor paper). The cards for the large (6 x 9'' - 15.24 x 22.86 cm) version are not really meant for readings, but more for meditation and study; and specifically the Ferrarese ancient religious and esoteric history, including such dark themes as the Inquisition and the Black Plague. I translated the brief English version of the card write-ups and the text is well worth reading as it shares a fascinating history of this extraordinary place steeped in magic and lore. Each illustration depicts a historic or mystical time and important characters that populated this town. Ferrara is in northern Italy, not far from Bologna or the lovely Tarot Museum in Riola.
