The Tarot "de Marseille"
The Tarot de Marseille of Francesco Guarino is based on the splendid work of Nicolas Conver in 1760.
When we say "based on", we mean that the graphic and chromatic base conforms to the original, even though we can find some details revisited for technical needs or for the global harmony of the product.
One example is the colouring between the legs of LE PENDU, which appears uniform in the original and is "correctly" executed in Guarino's version.
Although it is easy to believe that we are dealing with a perfect restoration of the original work, it should be emphasised that the Tarot de Marseille by Francesco Guarino cannot be considered a true restoration.
There are two reasons for this:
- the working techniques;
- because of a number of small decisions made during the manufacture of the game, which have made it possible to give a structural and logical coherence to the various decks of Conver, while at the same time retaining the original purity.
What does "several decks of Conver" mean?
In order to produce the Tarot de Marseille by Francesco Guarino, several editions of the same Conver (all from the same period) were compared.
Each of these editions shows significant damage from simple wear and tear over time. In addition, all editions are dotted with many symbols that differ from deck to deck.
This necessitated the intervention of other professionals who analysed the symbolic structure of the original game using elaborate graphics programmes.
Traits And Colours
What is known as Francesco Guarino's Marseille Tarot is, in reality, a product born of the synergy of a team.
- The black lines were created in the United States (hand drawing in the Florida Keys and digital cleaning in Los Angeles).
- The colouring was done in Italy, in Rome.
The project lasted two years, from 2017 to 2019.
To fully enjoy the immense work which has been carried out, we will present you with a comparison using two of Conver's games as a base (certified copy).
Click on the name of the card you are interested in to see the comparison. For each image that appears you will have this diagram:
- The first two cards are from the two different editions of Conver (borrowed from the conforming copy),
- The third card is from Guarino's game.
By clicking on the button below, you can download the deck and the comparative presentation directly to your device.
