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Cartomancy—an art of divination—has been a flourishing practice since the 18th century. This volume traces the graphic evolution of these card decks, which feature diverse imagery and allegorical messages.
Having arrived in the West from the East in the 14th century, playing cards have since evolved into a multitude of forms and uses. Present in the collections of the BnF’s Department of Prints and Photography since its inception, the library’s holdings now comprise nearly 3,000 sets of cards, including numerous decks for cartomancy, oracle cards, and divinatory tarot. Spanning the years 1788 to 1930, twenty-two iconic decks—whether used for divination or specifically designed for that purpose—chart the history of cartomancy and the growing popularity of these images, whose symbols and combinations possess, in some cases, the power to illuminate the future.
This edition is in French only.
Jude Talbot is a librarian in the Prints and Photography Department at the BNF. He notably edited the book Fabuleuses cartes à jouer : le monde en miniature (BNF/Gallimard, 2018) as well as Sport – L’important, c’est de participer in the L’Œil curieux series.
Cartomancy—an art of divination—has been a flourishing practice since the 18th century. This volume traces the graphic evolution of these card decks, which feature diverse imagery and allegorical messages.
Having arrived in the West from the East in the 14th century, playing cards have since evolved into a multitude of forms and uses. Present in the collections of the BnF’s Department of Prints and Photography since its inception, the library’s holdings now comprise nearly 3,000 sets of cards, including numerous decks for cartomancy, oracle cards, and divinatory tarot. Spanning the years 1788 to 1930, twenty-two iconic decks—whether used for divination or specifically designed for that purpose—chart the history of cartomancy and the growing popularity of these images, whose symbols and combinations possess, in some cases, the power to illuminate the future.
This edition is in French only.
Jude Talbot is a librarian in the Prints and Photography Department at the BNF. He notably edited the book Fabuleuses cartes à jouer : le monde en miniature (BNF/Gallimard, 2018) as well as Sport – L’important, c’est de participer in the L’Œil curieux series.
