Chagall Tarot Tribute
Graphic Design by Morena Poltronieri
22 Major Arcana + Signed/Numbered Title Card
Card Titles: In Italian with Roman Numerals
Leaflet: Morena Poltronieri (in Italian - English Edit: Arnell Ando)
Published by Museo Dei Tarocchi - Mutus Liber: Spring 2020
Printed on Matte, Textured Cardstock
Chagal Tarot Tribute Currently has Two Editions:
1.
Standard Set, with Card Size: 4" W by 6" L (10 x 15 cm)
Limited to 100, Hand-numbered, Signed
In Cardboard Gift Box, w/ Title Card Atop, Stamped w/ Museo's Hot Wax Seal
Standard Back Design: (2 Small Chagall Images - Not Reversible)
Price: € 48. Euro + Italian Shipping
***
2.
Deluxe Limited Edition
Card Size: 6.3" W by 9"L (16 x 23 cm)
Only 30, Hand-numbered, Signed Sets
Oversized Deck Comes Nestled on Straw, in Darkly Stained Wooden Box w/ Sliding Lid
Tied with Twine and a Silver Charm
Back design: None
Deluxe Version Includes 10 Bonus Chagall Tarot Postcards
Cost: € 160. Euro + Italian Postage
Wonderful
walk-through/review by the lovely 'Musings by Mascha'
in Australia
Description: Chagall Tarot Tribute
is a touching homage to the beloved artist
Marc Chagall,
created by
Morena Poltronieri,
director of the
Tarot Museum.
She chose lesser known, though compelling works of his, fusing portions of his etchings, with vintage Tarot imagery. This passion project was inspired by
a
Chagall exhibit Poltronieri attended, which awoke in her an insight to merge his spiritually poetic
art with Tarot imagery. She borrowed from an old Italian deck (printed between 1775 and 1799) combining
these
two diverse symbolic art forms into an impressive offering.
Ms. Poltronieri shares,
"I tiptoed gently into his magical world, blending different languages of art and magic, as a pure gesture of love..."
Marc Chagall, was born in a Russian Jewish settlement in 1887 and lived a fascinating life for nearly a century, dying in 1985, at the ripe age of 98. As mentioned in the deck’s
leaflet, Chagall was associated with major innovative art movements and pioneered groundbreaking artistic styles. He worked in a variety of mediums, including drawing, painting, illustration, fine art,
stained glass, set design, ceramics and tapestries.
Although his recognizable style often encompassed Jewish themes, he himself saw his work
"not the dream of one people but of
all humanity".
The collection of Old Testament etchings in his
‘Story of Exodus’ (1952-1966),
commissioned by the famed, French art dealer
Ambroise Vollard,
gave Morena the revelation to create some
of the more compelling collages in this deck, such as her
High Priestess, Emperor, Hierophant, Star and Judgment
cards. Chagall had worked previously with Vollard, on another series of etchings known as, the
Fables of La Fontaine,
which Morena also found deeply meaningful, while incorporating his imagery into her
Fool, Empress, Justice, Strength, Temperance and Devil
cards.
According to art historian Michael J. Lewis, before World War I, Chagall travelled between Saint Petersburg, Paris, and Berlin, creating his own style of modern art based on his perception of Eastern
European Jewish folk culture. He was a part of modernism's "golden age" in Paris, where he synthesized Cubism, Symbolism, and Fauvism, which gave rise to Surrealism.
The only other Chagall inspired deck I'm aware of is the delightfully inviting, handcrafted
Wild Green Chagallian Tarot,
by artist/writer Pen Cline (UK)
which, sadly is long out of print.
Her richly colorful deck combines a passion for wild herbs and flora, along with the romantic notion of honoring the love of Chagall’s life; his wife and muse Bella,
whose presence is alluded to in every painting he created since they first met, according to Ms. Cline.
The cards for Chagall Tarot Tribute were printed on textured, matte cardstock, characteristic of the Museum’s art decks. The standard card backs have two different images by Chagall, (colorful
animals) which change halfway through the deck and are therefore not reversible. The deluxe version has no imagery on its card backs.
The leaflet by Morena Poltronieri is not overly descriptive, though she touches on the motivation to create this deck in the brief intro and gives references to the Chagall artworks that were used
to create these collages, occasionally including how his etching corresponds with a card.
The standard set, (4 inches wide by 6" long - 10 x 15 cm) comes in a navy blue cardboard gift box. It is limited to 100, hand-numbered, signed sets, costing € 48. Euro
plus Italian postage.
The deluxe edition of this deck is limited to only 30 hand-numbered, signed sets and includes 10 large Chagall Tarot postcards (on
art stock) which all come together, tied with colored twine and a silver charm, resting gently on a bed of straw in a darkly stained, wooden box, with a sliding lid. These oversized
Tarot
cards (6.3 inches wide by 9 long - 16 x 23 cm) would be great for study and display more than for readings. The deluxe edition costs € 160.
Euro + P&H from
Italy.
Both deck versions have the Title card fastened to the box cover along with the Museum’s hot wax seal. Either edition would make a meaningful acquisition for serious Tarot collectors and admirers of
the enigmatic and dreamy Marc Chagall.
Chagall Tarot Tribute
Created by Morena Poltronieri
Card Examples Shown Below:
1st Row: Title Card, I-Magician, II-High Priestess
2nd Row: V-Hierophant, VI-Lovers, VII-Chariot
3rd Row: X-Wheel of Fortune, XI-Strength, XII-Hanged Man
4th Row: XIII-Death, XV-Devil & XVIIII-Sun
