Review by Bonnie Cehovet
In a word - this deck is stunning! Done in gold leaf, it is based on the art of twentieth-century Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. His work reflects the art and culture of early twentieth-century Vienna. Klimt left the "School of Arts and Crafts" in protest of his belief that painting and other figurative arts were not being given their proper worth (at this time, theater and operatic music took precedence with the Austro-Hungarian court).With fellow painters, he helped create a splinter group known as the Vienna Secession, whose aim was to promote Austrian art at home and abroad. Of these painters, Klimt stands out as perfectly expressing the spirit of the bourgeois and the aristocratic world of his time. His works created a dream-like universe that was both decadent and magnificent. He is considered to be one of the initiators of the tradition of modern design through his combining pictorial techniques and purely graphical techniques.
These are the works that inspired artist A. A. Atanassov to create this absolutely stunning deck. The gold leaf itself is mesmerizing, but the art that it enhances is also in a class of its own. The work is very stylized, with the figures appearing long and thin, bordering on seeming emaciated - the type of thing that one would see in a fun-house mirror. the skin tones are extremely pale, with the background colors tending to orange-red or shades of brown.
The deck follows the traditional structure of the Tarot, with traditional titles for the Major Arcana, and the placement of Justice at VIII and Strength at XI. The Minor Arcana suits are Wands, Chalices, Swords and Pentacles. The court cards are entitled King, Queen, Knight and Knave.
The LWB that accompanies the deck is in English, Italian, German, Spanish and French. It covers the biographical background on Gustav Klimt, a short section on the symbolism in this deck, and upright and reversed meanings for each of the cards. One spread is presented, a thirteen card spread entitled the "Circle of Faults and Virtues". Twelve cards are placed in a circle, with the thirteenth card in the middle. Part of the process here is that the Major and Minor Arcana are separated, with the first twelve cards coming from the Minor Arcana, and the thirteenth card from the Major Arcana. If the middle card is upright, the cards are read from right to left. If the card in the middle is reversed, the cards are read from left to right. The spread is read in a specific manner, with the first four cards being turned over, and then the card in the middle. The first four cards represent the Seeker's current situation, with the Major Arcana card providing the direction for reading the Minor Arcana. The second group of four cards represents the Seeker's job situation, and the last four cards represent the Seeker's emotional situation. My thought here, and I don't know why, is that this spread is representative of the energy of the times that Klimt was painting.
The cards themselves are approximately 2 5/8" by 4 3/5", of sturdy, glossy card stock with gold leaf. The backs have a 1/4" black border, with a patterned gold background. In the center, back to back, is the surrealistic impression of a female figure. It would be impossible to tell if the cards were drawn upright or reversed. The card faces show the same 1/4" black border, followed by a thin gold border. At the top of the Major Arcana is the card number, in Roman numerals, with the card title in five languages (English, Italian, French, Spanish and German) in small gold lettering in the four corners. the Minor Arcana show the suit number at the top, with the suit name, in five languages, in each of the four corners. The Court cards show the title and suit in five languages, in each of the four corners.
There were a few cards that I felt did not bring out the traditional energy of the card. the first one was The Fool, which shows a male figure, nude, standing with his head in his hands. Definitely not a youth setting out on his life's journey. What troubles me is that the card does match the upright definition given in the LWB: "Lack of points of reference, loss of identity, confusion". The Hermit to me was another version of the Fool, with a nude male figure standing, this time with his hands behind his back and his head down. This time to definition in the LWB does match what the archetype should be: "Solitude, meditation, reserve, wisdom".
Strength I really do not understand. Here we see a female figure standing, with what appears to be a male face on the lower left hand side of her skirt. The definition given in the LWB is: "Spiritual energy, moral strength, clear thinking, determination". This definitely does not come through in this card. The Hanged Man has lost the esoteric symbolism by having the figures arms held straight out in front of him, with one ankle bound and the other unbound, with the unbound knee bent out.
The female figure in the World is standing sideways to the viewer, and very, very pregnant. I am not sure from the look on her face if she wants to tell the reader something, or if she wants to know how she got that way. The Nine of Chalices is a real doozy, with a figure that appears to be male, but with enlarged breasts and a very pregnant stomach!
There may be some reason for all of the above, and if I were more knowledgeable in the area of art, they might have made more sense. The cards were breathtaking from an artistic point of view, but I don't know how I would interpret them in a reading, or explain them to a client.
Having said that, there are some cards that absolutely shine! the Magician appears as a female figure, in a red dress with gold figures on it. In her left hand she holds a flat dish, while what appears to be a gold snake winds itself around her right arm, with its head poised over the dish. Her right hand appears to be held in a stylized, Hermetic type position. The High Priestess shows a very elegant lady, seated, with a book held loosely in her left hand. Again, both hands seem to be held in Hermetic positions.
The Lovers shows a male and female figure embracing, with the archetypal intent showing clearly. Justice is a standing female figure, with the sword of justice in her right hand (a large sword - the hilt comes up to her shoulder), and the scales of justice in her left hand. I was rather drawn to Death, which showed Death with a pale face, carrying a scythe. To the right, in a a separate picture, we see a family of pale figures. The message here? Death is a part of the cycle of life - it comes to us all. Also very telling is that under the face of Death we see a series of crosses, making up a surrealistic 'body".
The Moon is one of my favorite cards, with a female figure, curled into a fetal position, riding on a moonbeam. The Sun is another favorite, showing two figures embracing in front of a gold background that features little sworls that look like peacock eyes. The Five of Chalices is humorous, yet right on target - a fully dressed female figure, standing, holding a pale mask of her own face in front of her. How many masks do we all wear in living out our lives!
The Ten of Pentacles is very much a "feel good" card, showing a bright yellow house through a canopy of green, leafy trees. All of the court cards served their purpose, with the possible exception of the King of Pentacles. Here we see the King seated, with his head propped on his left hand. His right hand holds the symbol for the suit of Pentacles, which rests in his lap. The manner in which he is seated, and the look on his face, is more Four of Pentacles that King of Pentacles.
This is a very well done deck, and a must have for collectors of art decks. It does contain a considerable amount of nudity, which is something to take into consideration when offering it as a possible deck for a client reading. While this deck could be used for reading, it is not a deck for beginning readers. It would work well, however, in working with the comparative method of reading. The artwork itself, and the gold leaf, make this a deck that is easy to appreciate.
Bonnie Cehovet is Certified Tarot Grand Master, a professional Tarot reader with over ten years experience, a Reiki Master/Teacher and a writer. Bonnie has served in various capacities with the American Tarot Association, is co-founder of the World Tarot Network, and Vice President (as well as Director of Certification) for the American Board For Tarot Certification. She has had articles appear in the 2004 and 2005 Llewellyn Tarot Reader.
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