The Tarot of Durer

Rating:
Summary: a serious, surprisingly rich, & above all else usable deck
Review: One point to start off with: this is not a tarot of Durer, it's a tarot of Giacinto Gaudenzi. Calling it a tarot of Durer to attract attention is, however, in this case a gimmick I can live with . . . since in all other respects it's an absolutely lovely package! Forget Durer while reading these cards, & just let them be what they are, & say what they want to say . . . & you will not be disappointed! The symbolism, particularly in the minor arcana, is unusually rich due to insertion of animal--would it be allegory?--gracing each suit . . . The story of the animal runs parallel, at times one might even say perpendicular, to the human story, occasionally undermining it altogether (which makes the exceptionally brief, standard interpretations in the accompanying booklet utterly useless . . . go ahead & throw the booklet out, let the cards speak for themselves . . . ) While the animals in this deck (foxes accompanying swords, lions staves, doves cups, & some sort of black birds--crows/ravens??--coins) feel delicate--spiritual--aetherial!--the humans, on the other hand, are about as earthy as it's possible for any single group of humans to get. This is of course in keeping with the Durer theme--&, in & of itself, something of an intriguing reversal to humanity's general take on its own superior, rational & therefore potentially spiritual nature . . . Hmmn. Two humans in particular stand out as--well--BEYOND earthy: the Queen of Cups, & the male Lover. I suppose there is some logic in this, but really--does the Queen of Cups' tongue HAVE to loll out of the side of her mouth in that disturbing way . . . & does the male lover have to be QUITE so hideous (a satyr) . . . ?? Well--to put things in perspective, these are two very minor personal objections. Don't let them prevent you from purchasing an otherwise wonderful deck!

So many decks go directly into a drawer for storage as soon as I open & examine them . . . but not this one. This is, for me at least, a serious, surprisingly rich, & above all else usable deck . . . the deck which, ever since aquiring it (granted, this hasn't been long) my hand gravitates intuitively toward, whenever I develop a--you know--a truly SIGNIFICANT question.

Rating:
Summary: a serious, surprisingly rich, & above all else usable deck
Review: One point to start off with: this is not a tarot of Durer, it's a tarot of Giacinto Gaudenzi. Calling it a tarot of Durer to attract attention is, however, in this case a gimmick I can live with . . . since in all other respects it's an absolutely lovely package! Forget Durer while reading these cards, & just let them be what they are, & say what they want to say . . . & you will not be disappointed! The symbolism, particularly in the minor arcana, is unusually rich due to insertion of animal--would it be allegory?--gracing each suit . . . The story of the animal runs parallel, at times one might even say perpendicular, to the human story, occasionally undermining it altogether (which makes the exceptionally brief, standard interpretations in the accompanying booklet utterly useless . . . go ahead & throw the booklet out, let the cards speak for themselves . . . ) While the animals in this deck (foxes accompanying swords, lions staves, doves cups, & some sort of black birds--crows/ravens??--coins) feel delicate--spiritual--aetherial!--the humans, on the other hand, are about as earthy as it's possible for any single group of humans to get. This is of course in keeping with the Durer theme--&, in & of itself, something of an intriguing reversal to humanity's general take on its own superior, rational & therefore potentially spiritual nature . . . Hmmn. Two humans in particular stand out as--well--BEYOND earthy: the Queen of Coins, & the male Lover. I suppose there is some logic in this, but really--does the Queen of Coins' tongue HAVE to loll out of the side of her mouth in that disturbing way . . . & does the male lover have to be QUITE so hideous (a satyr) . . . ?? Well--to put things in perspective, these are two very minor personal objections. Don't let them prevent you from purchasing an otherwise wonderful deck!

So many decks go directly into a drawer for storage as soon as I open & examine them . . . but not this one. This is, for me at least, a serious, surprisingly rich, & above all else usable deck . . . the deck which, ever since aquiring it (granted, this hasn't been long) my hand gravitates intuitively toward, whenever I develop a--you know--a truly SIGNIFICANT question.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful art, familiar cards
Review: This deck will not be difficult for anyone familiar with the Rider-Waite deck to learn and use. The art is far more creative; the deck is beautiful. Pentacles is coins in this deck; cups are chalices. A couple of the cards in the Major Arcana are in slightly different positions; everything else is essentially the same.

Because of the familiarity of the cards, this would make a wonderful gift for someone who uses tarot.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful art, familiar cards
Review: This deck will not be difficult for anyone familiar with the Rider-Waite deck to learn and use. The art is far more creative; the deck is beautiful. Pentacles is coins in this deck; cups are chalices. A couple of the cards in the Major Arcana are in slightly different positions; everything else is essentially the same.

Because of the familiarity of the cards, this would make a wonderful gift for someone who uses tarot.