The GILDED TAROT, illustrated by Ciro Marchetti, companion book by Barbara Moore.

Reviewed by Serena Brink

A glistening, brilliant jewel of a tarot pack!  The Gilded Tarot will sparkle amidst the tarot pack collection of any tarot enthusiast.  Its high finish and shimmering colours give a modern look to a combination of mainly medieval and Renaissance images.  

Apart from the stunning colours and the perfection of the artwork by Ciro Marchetti, the major arcana contains features that are unique to this tarot pack. For instance, the intricate, golden machinery embedded in the images of four of the major arcana cards suggest the Renaissance, a time when machinery was still mysterious, and its workings almost magical.  In contrast to the magical, golden machinery in some of the major arcana, the minor arcana includes mice in the rafters, an owl on a window sill, a cat playing with thread and many other creatures that remind the tarot reader of the presence of nature in our everyday lives. 

Although this tarot pack has some unique features, it is not a novelty tarot, as the minor arcana in particular, is strongly influenced by the Rider/Waite tarot and as a result it is a familiar and effective divinatory tool that represents a coherent magical system.

The major arcana contains some unique interpretations of the tarot archetypes. The most striking example is the High Priestess, who arcs across the card wearing a diaphonous garment glistening with stars which reveals rather than conceals her dynamic, almost naked form. At first glance, it might seem that this image is too active and dynamic to convey the archetypal nature of the High Priestess - and yet if the image is analysed, it embodies the qualities of reflection and cyclic rhythm.  For example, the moon in the background reflects the arc of the foreground priestess, the intricate golden machinery perched on top of the pillars suggests regularity and cycles, the diaphonous clothing implies the veil between worlds and the water mirrors the calm, reflective, and fluid nature of the High Priestess.

Unlike the cool High Priestess, the Devil is hot, and I'm not talking about the flames. The sexy, youthful Devil embodies the libidinous nature of this archetype, and is a welcome change from the evil, sinister devils who sit so heavily in many tarot packs. Although this image of the devil is rather modern, it is closer to its pagan ancestry than the usual devil whose image is so heavily imprinted by Christian prejudices about sexuality and paganism.

The Emperor looks more Roman than medieval, a Julius Caesar rather than a Frederick; the Hierophant is resplendent in the vestments of the Church as he pauses in his discourse, framed by a beautiful stained glass window; the Hermit makes his careful way along a narrow, rocky path with an abysmal drop on both sides; while a man does a cartwheel in front of the lightning struck Tower, suggesting that strength, agility and controlled movement can help direct the momentum of a fall.

The Death card is beautiful and sinister; the Hanged Man dangles with one foot entangled in a golden chain; while the Fool dances with the acrobatic agility as he juggles the zodiac.  In the Strength card, a noblewoman walks with a lion at her side as she gazes up at the stars, beautiful but somehow a bit stiff in spite of her flowing hair, whereas the Temperance card portrays the alchemy of flame and fluid, capturing the paradox of connection and separation in one dynamic moment.

Although, Ciro Marchetti skillfully blends photography and computer graphics into his paintings of the tarot images, the role of computer graphics is more obvious in the minor arcana.  The six of cups looks a bit contrived, but the ace of swords is magnificent.  The three of cups is exuberant and celebratory,  but the five of pentacles loses its way - it doesn't really convey poverty.  The five of swords switched on a light for me, and for the first time I really understood the card in terms of its esoteric title: Lord of Defeat.

The Gilded Tarot manages to retain the familiarity of the scenes painted by Pamela Colman Smith (Rider/Waite Tarot), while reinterpreting them in a charming way that gives them a beauty and dynamism that will appeal to the 21st century tarot reader. For instance, I find the four of cups variation rather appealing because the young person sitting under the tree looks ready to partake of the contents of the large, ornate golden cup being offered by a disembodied hand instead of ignoring it.

As the Gilded Tarot is a set, it comes with a book, a filmy, black bag for the cards, and a cardboard box for storage.  The book by Barbara Moore is a useful, well written and clearly presented companion for the cards, and is appropriately titled: The Gilded Tarot companion.  The book creates a bridge between the beginner and this ornate tarot pack by giving some background on the structure of the tarot which includes concise, insightful and helpful summaries of the major arcana, as well as clear instructions on how to do a reading. The interpretations of each card of the Gilded Tarot relate to the images on the cards and analyse the symbolism presented, rather than giving the general, out of context interpretations so often favoured by the books accompanying a tarot pack.

I highly recommend this Tarot pack for collectors as well as those tarot enthusiasts who want a tarot pack that has a modern feel, yet speaks in the gracious, beautiful language of a bygone age.