The Tarot of Marseilles, also known as the Tarot de Marseille, is an old French deck that has inspired many modern tarot patterns and designs. Originating in Northern Italy in the 15th century, it was popular in France during the 17th and 18th centuries for playing tarot card games and is still produced today. Named after the southern French city of Marseilles, the deck is characterized by its minimalist and abstract art style, featuring bold colors and geometric shapes. The imagery is often simpler, allowing for more complex symbolism.
The name “Marseilles” comes from the French city where the deck was popularized, but its roots can be traced back to Italian and Moorish influences. The Major Arcana of the Tarot of Marseilles represents the potential strength that can be unfolded through the other Arcana. The Tarot de Marseille is the “original” tarot deck on which other decks are based, with the Smith-Waite / Rider-Waite / Rider deck being the most well-known.
This unique tarot deck honors the legacy of Old World cartomancy by marrying a humble pack of French-suited playing cards with the classic Tarot de Marseille. The Tarot de Marseille is a classic tarot based on XIII century images and is considered one of the most popular and best-selling tarot decks ever.
The first Tarot card symbolizes a potential strength that is not free at the time, but through the other Arcana, it will be unfolded. The Magician Tarot is another popular tarot deck, and learning to read its minor arcana can help individuals move from beginner to intermediate levels.
In summary, the Tarot of Marseilles is a traditional Italian-suited tarot deck that has inspired many modern tarot patterns and designs. Its unique and complex symbolism, intricate use of numerology and color symbolism, and the unique combination of French-suited playing cards make it a popular choice for those seeking self-knowledge and guidance.
📹 Bare-Bones Tarot –The advantages of using the Tarot of Marseille
The Tarot of Marseilles lack of imagery allows us to see a wider range of possible meaning in the card reading.
What is the oldest tarot deck?
The Colleoni-Baglioni and Francesco Sforza deck, produced around 1451, is now 74 cards, including 20 trumps, 15 face cards, and 39 pip cards. The Morgan Library and Museum in New York City has 35 cards, the Accademia Carrara has 26 cards, and the Colleoni family in Bergamo has 13 cards. Trumps and face cards have a gilt background, while pip cards are cream-colored with a flower and vine motif. The deck features figures on different suits, such as bastoni, cups, spades, and denari.
Bastoni wear silver pleated garments and carry a long staff, while cups wear gold garments with a heraldic device of sun and rays. Spades show figures dressed in full armour with a large sword. Denari wears garments decorated with blue ribbons wound around circular suns.
What is the purpose of the Minor Arcana?
The Minor Arcana cards are a powerful tool for self-reflection, offering insights into our daily experiences and guiding us through life’s complexities. The deck consists of 56 cards, divided into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. The Wands suit symbolizes creativity, passion, and inspiration, driving us to take action and pursue our goals. The Cups suit, rooted in water, delves into emotions, intuition, and relationships, reflecting our inner world and connections with ourselves and others.
These cards offer insights into love, compassion, vulnerability, and healing, helping us navigate the complexities of our hearts. The Minor Arcana cards are essential for self-reflection and navigating life’s complexities.
What does the Empress Tarot card mean in Marseille?
The Marseille Tarot, created by A. E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith in the early 20th century, features the Empress as a crowned figure seated on a throne, symbolizing fertility, motherhood, creativity, and nurturing femininity. The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, created by A. E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith, depicts the Empress as a serene woman surrounded by lush vegetation, symbolizing fertility and growth.
In Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot deck, the Empress is a voluptuous figure adorned with Venus and the Moon, symbolizing fertility, sensuality, creativity, and the power of feminine energy to manifest abundance and growth. These cards represent various aspects of femininity and the Earth Mother.
What does the Empress card symbolize?
The Empress is a symbol of good and proper, embodying unconditional love and promoting unselfishness. She is often protective of those she loves, avoiding pain. The Empress tarot card represents the need for security and companionship, reminding us to give ourselves and others more TLC and compassion. As the third Major Arcana card, she resides between the High Priestess and the Emperor, reminding us to use spirituality and faith to cultivate a fantastic life. The card features a pregnant belly, Venus symbolizing a heart, a starry crown, lush greenery, and a waterfall, all representing life.
What is the most powerful tarot card?
Tarot cards are a popular tool for self-reflection and guidance, as well as entertainment and exploring subconscious mind aspects. However, there is no single card that stands out as the most powerful. Each card has different meanings and impacts, depending on the context, question, and reader interpretation. Some of the most influential cards include The Fool, the first card of the Major Arcana, which represents new beginnings and infinite possibilities.
The Fool is often depicted as a young man about to step off a cliff, with a dog at his feet, a bag on his shoulder, and a white rose in his hand. The Tower, the third card, represents the power of turning ideas into reality and the potential to create and transform ourselves. Overall, the Tarot cards play a significant role in shaping our lives and providing guidance.
Which is the strongest tarot card?
The Fool is a card in tarot games, not part of the Major Arcana. In most games, the Fool is independent of both plain suit cards and trump cards, and does not belong to either category. Tarot decks originally made for game playing do not assign a number to the Fool indicating its rank in the suit of trumps. The Fool is one of the most valuable cards in almost all tarot games.
In tarot games originating from Italy and France, the Fool has a unique role, sometimes called “the Excuse”. In these games, the player excuses the player from following suit or playing a trump. At the end of the trick, the player takes back the Fool and adds it to their trick pile, giving the trick’s winner the least valuable card from that same pile. If there are no cards to give in exchange, the Fool is worth one point less and an extra point is given to the trick-taker.
In a minor variant option of French tarot, a player dealt trump 1 but with no other trumps or the Fool can make trump 1 behave the same as the Fool. In official tournament rules, a player in this situation must declare their hand and force a redeal.
What is a Marseille’s Tarot deck?
The Tarot de Marseille, a 19th-century tarot deck, was coined by French card historian Romain Merlin in 1856 and popularized by French cartomancers Eliphas Levi, Gérard Encausse, and Paul Marteau. The deck is derived from the standard designs made in Marseilles, a city known for playing card manufacture. The initials TdM can be used to ambiguously indicate whether the M stands for Marseille or Milan, a region claimed for the origins of the image design.
The deck contains fifty-six cards in the four standard suits and twenty-two tarot cards, identified by their French names. The suits count from Ace to 10, and there was an archaic practice of ranking cards 10 to Ace for the suit of cups and coins, in line with all other tarot games outside of France and Sicily. The term “Marseille-style” is sometimes used to deference to the common appellation Marseille for the style and recognition that the deck appears in other places.
What is a Marseilles tarot deck?
The Tarot de Marseille, a 19th-century tarot deck, was coined by French card historian Romain Merlin in 1856 and popularized by French cartomancers Eliphas Levi, Gérard Encausse, and Paul Marteau. The deck is derived from the standard designs made in Marseilles, a city known for playing card manufacture. The initials TdM can be used to ambiguously indicate whether the M stands for Marseille or Milan, a region claimed for the origins of the image design.
The deck contains fifty-six cards in the four standard suits and twenty-two tarot cards, identified by their French names. The suits count from Ace to 10, and there was an archaic practice of ranking cards 10 to Ace for the suit of cups and coins, in line with all other tarot games outside of France and Sicily. The term “Marseille-style” is sometimes used to deference to the common appellation Marseille for the style and recognition that the deck appears in other places.
What are the different types of tarot decks?
Esoteric tarot is a deck of cards that originated in the early 20th century, with three most common decks being the Tarot of Marseilles, Rider-Waite Tarot, and the Thoth Tarot. The origin of the tarot is unclear, with some authorities suggesting it may have originated from ancient Egyptian Mysteries or possibly the fifteenth or sixteenth century. However, the only theory of ultimate interest is that it is an admirable symbolic picture of the Universe, based on the data of the Holy Qabalah.
The contemporary meaning of the phrase “Industrie und Glück” is “Diligence and Fortune”. This concept has been explored in various sources, including Placardi’s Das Kaiserliche Sprach- und Wörterbuch, Dummett’s work on Italian cards, and Vitali’s work on Tarocco. The tarot has also been studied by various scholars, such as Dummett and McLeod’s work on Italian cards, and Semetsky’s book on the re-Symbolization of the Self.
Tarocco, an early form of the tarot, was a playing card pack used in Italy around 1500. It is believed to have originated in Florence around 1499-1506, with the game of cards being played around the same time. The Waite-Smith Tarot, another popular deck, was created in Bologna around the same time.
The tarot has been a significant part of the Tarot culture, with its symbols representing the universe and the people who lived during that time. The tarot has been used in various cultures, including the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the modern era. The tarot has been a significant part of the Tarot tradition, with its symbols often depicting the world and the people who lived during that time.
In conclusion, esoteric tarot is a complex and fascinating art form that has been influenced by various historical and cultural factors.
What is the most used tarot deck?
The Rider Waite Smith Tarot is a popular deck for tarot card reading, first published by the Rider Company in 1909. It was based on the instructions of academic and mystic A. E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, both members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The deck has been published in numerous editions and inspired a wide array of variants and imitations. Over 100 million copies circulate across 20 countries.
The images in the deck are simple but feature abundant symbolism. Some imagery remains similar to earlier decks, but overall, the Waite-Smith card designs are substantially different from their predecessors. Christian imagery was removed from some cards and added to others, such as the “Papess” becoming the “High Priestess” and the “Lovers” card resembling naked Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The Minor Arcana is illustrated with allegorical scenes by Smith, unlike earlier decks.
Symbols and imagery in the deck were influenced by 19th-century magician and occultist Eliphas Levi and the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. To accommodate astrological correspondences taught by the Golden Dawn, Waite introduced several innovations to the deck, such as changing the order of the Strength and Justice cards to correspond with Leo and Libra, and based the Lovers card on Italian tarot decks.
What is the minor arcana in tarot Marseille?
The Minor Arcana cards, analogous to contemporary games, are comprised of four suits. The four suits are Swords, Wands, Cups, and Coins, with fourteen cards of each suit, equivalent to Spades, Clubs, Hearts, and Diamonds.
📹 Where to begin? Marseilles, Hermetic, Thoth or Rider Waite?
Hello Angels, This is a quick overview of the core decks used in modern Tarot reading to get you started! To clarify the Hermetic …
Thanks for posting Vincent. Appreciate the bare bones approach the Tarot of Marseilles deck offers. Before I even knew about the Tarot of Marseilles, my Grandmother taught me to read using playing cards. With those all you have to go by is the numerology and the elemental quality of the suits. Very similar to reading with the Marseilles deck, only no Major Arcana.
My first deck of cards (Marseille) at 15 years old – 33 years ago and my readings for others are on point. I decided to start reading for the public a few months ago. I found it easier to approach a situation for an individual with the cards (especially at pubs in Germany). As a psychic medium, I don’t really need to use the cards, but some people will not feel comfortable with you telling them that a spirit is stepping forth with information or understand that you just “know” things that are very private. Btw, your books rock! I have recommended them to many friends to learn what I have a hard time teaching because it comes naturally with me. Waiting for your last book to come out on the market. Sending you many blessings and thanks for all you do. Blessed Be! 😊❤🙏 My favorites: Grimaud, JJ Swiss, Aquarian, Aleister Crowley’s Thoth, Morgan-Greer, Marshmallow and the Arcana Tarot Playing Cards.
This was really nice to confirm the way I’ve been reading. I love any deck to decipher new things and try and give a similar sense no matter what. Some people dislike pip decks but I love them, they’re so concise and straight to the point. I love variations of a Rider deck for the artwork too or variations of a Thoth deck which are a bit more complex but in the end you can work with the basic numerology and Major Arcana archetypes and move swiftly from there. Tarot is such a blessing in my life and I love people who give us insight in such a simple and direct way.
Visconti Sforza tarrochi cards predate all decks A beautiful set which I’ve had the pleasure of handling I also own the marseille deck from the 70s My favourite is the Crowley deck because of the incredible artwork plus the inclusion of astrology & Qabala & alchemy. Along with the tarot these are the 4 branches of magick
Thanks you. Just got my first Marseille deck and looking forward to using it. First reading I did for myself felt good. Struggled with some aspects of RWS, although been using it for many years but as you say it can be restrictive with the images of the minor arcana, especially the suit of swords. Thanks for your knowledge 😃
Hi Vincent. I love pip decks, especially the Ancient Italian. Also Dead on Paper have re-released the Arcana playing cards Tarot deck at long last. Ordered two, got to have a back up. I’ve just discovered your website, amazing hey!, and really liking your words of wisdom. Gotta go, lots more of your vids to watch 😊
I think this is a game changing article for me so thank you. I have been reading professionally since start of the year and have used many different decks but over the last couple of months, I seem to have moved to a more traditional approach and sold off loads of decks. I had been drawn to the Marseille deck but was wary of using it as I thought the pip cards would be prescriptive – this article has turned that thinking on its head and I now see how it opens up the possibilities for wider interpretations. Thanks again
You are absolutely right! I’ve been perusal your articles; I have your deck and a couple of your books. I was afraid of TdM, but it makes so much more sense to me. I love your beginner keywords. Now I use TdM and RWS together in the same reading. If asked, I’m recommending starting with TdM, or both together.
Vincent, you make a great deal of sense with your application/portrayal of Tarot at the level of advice given to clients in the most helpful way. As a reader I had my world turned around by Ly de Angeles with her book “Tarot Theory & Practice” which changed my perception. The difference between yourself and other Tarot readers is you direct the client themselves to each step of the way, without complex issues of external factors, other people, various scenarios that might or might not happen, you keep it fixed to the individual and their own personal progress, this has given me the answers that I felt inside that things were still not right. I have already bought your book “Genius of the Tarot” and started to take these teachings in. I am very much into numerology, and also study what pairs mean, three of, four of, etc this holds in value for the Major Arcana also….two Aces, for instance, a change of place and a change of pace I personally could not get on with the Rider-Waite deck, but the Thoth deck taught me Astrological aspects/interpretations to the table It was also very interesting to note the particular Moon Phase for the client’s visit, this I found very useful. I have also ordered the Marseille deck. I have been very impressed by your approach to the Tarot, your practical easy deliverance of your articles. I thank you for your time and expertise. Regards-John
Before the Marseilles pack, there was the Visconti Sforza pack, the Charles VI pack, the Tarocchi of Mantegna (which although not Tarot, has some of the same cards), & a number of others, I believe that the earliest artists actually knew what the images symbolised, whilst a lot of the later artists, copied from the earlier decks & didn’t necessarily know what they meant in detail, & left out little details that add immeasurably to it’s understanding, for instance the Fool (Marseille) symbolises a card “He’s a Card!”, in that it has a face & a backside, the person in it is Diogenes, the Cynic (look at Misero) in the Mantegna pack, the stick separates the face from the dog attacking his rear below, symbolising adiafora or “indifference to the vicissitudes of life” & he is part of a pack, the plural of dogs, his life was changed by a visit to the Delphic oracle “Know Thyself”. What do you think the “Wing”, under her seat means in the Marseille Empress? Who are the two boys in the Marseilles Sun card?
I recently discovered your website and I am fascinated. My interest in tarot started when I was 11/12 yrs old. I had my first reading around that age without my parents knowing it. I am 40 now and started two years ago learning and studying tarot. I have only used RW decks. Do you think I can learn Marseille since I started with RW? Have you written a book about Marseille since you did this article 3yrs ago? Keep doing articles please🙏🏼Take care! What is your website? Thxs
This is why I prefer the pips. It’s also why I like Thoth. Because when you have a picture it is only one expression of what’s supposed to be a very abstract concept. Like in the Golden Dawn tradition lets say 10 of Chalices is Mars in Pisces. Mars in Pisces is just one idea but how that applies in reality can vary, but it will always connect to that idea of Mars in Pisces. If we try to draw a scene that exemplifies the idea, what that results in is a novice seeing the idea as this scene itself. It can be distracting at times, but helpful in others. Essentially, it’s like what Crowley says about how “manifestation implies illusion” where any attempt to depict something with anything other than the thing itself will inherently be imperfect. That said, a drawing is trying too hard, and doing so much that it confuses the idea at times. Not to shit on the RWS, I use the deck at times, and you can definitely use it. But I have to say I prefer things like Thoth or Marseille, because I can see more of the abstract. Like Thoth uses colors and tones and the suit symbols themselves to get the idea across in a much less restrictive way. And then Marseille has just a few little pictures like the box on 4 of Coins, or the different flowers and whatnot. It’s abstract just like the idea itself
So in a reading, why wouldn’t you think of the suit? Using the Marseille deck, let’s say you are picking a card for a certain position and 2 cards fall out so you assign both cards to that position. And if they were two of the same number, 5 for instance, wouldn’t you consider the suits to elaborate their meaning?
Hi Vence, Just came to this article and it answered the question I asked on a different article. Yesterday was my first introduction to your work in “Genius of the Tarot breaking open the Mystery ” Theosophy Society. I have been viewing your own You Tube articles. Do you have another means of contact available, to reach you. Thank you,