The tarot's tale of transformation is a story that will leave you breathless – from humble beginnings as a sophisticated game in 15th-century Italy to the modern-day phenomenon it is today. The Morgan Library & Museum's new exhibition, 'Tarot!', puts this incredible journey under the spotlight, shining a light on the cards' origins and their evolution into a global divination tool.
It all began in Renaissance Italy, where tarot cards were used purely for entertainment purposes – think of them as the board games of the time! But it wasn't until they made their way to France in the 18th century that these cards started to take on mystical and occult connotations. From there, they made their way to the UK and eventually spread across the globe throughout the 20th century, becoming a cultural phenomenon.
The exhibition offers an extraordinary glimpse into the early days of tarot, showcasing a vast portion of the oldest surviving deck – the Visconti-Sforza collection. This stunning collaboration between The Morgan Library and the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, Italy, reveals just how these initial decks were hand-painted luxury objects created by master artists. As co-curator Joshua O'Driscoll points out, crafting these early decks required an impressive range of artistic skills – from panel painting to manuscript illumination.
But what's truly remarkable is that despite their age, these Renaissance decks bear a striking resemblance to modern tarot imagery. Anyone familiar with contemporary decks would recognise the core elements of the nearly 600-year-old Visconti-Sforza. As O'Driscoll explains, the earliest decks drew inspiration from Petrarch's 'Triumphs', charting a life path from sin to redemption – while later decks, like the influential Rider-Waite-Smith deck introduced in 1909, incorporated an even broader range of influences, from the Bible to Art Nouveau and contemporary British society.
Curator Claire Gilman believes that the tarot's lasting appeal lies in its unique ability to be both ancient and modern at the same time. She highlights the significant continuity between established characters and imagery, alongside a tremendous capacity for change and transformation – making it a true 'keeper' of cultural relevance.