The vivid illustrations in this stunning deck bring the arcana to life like never before! Experience how these avant-garde realizations of familiar tarot figures and symbols can open your inner temple.
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About the Author
Since 1987, Art Publisher Lo Scarabeo has published over 100 Tarot decks that have been acclaimed all over the world for originality and quality. Only the best Italian and International artists are selected for our new decks, and the result is that Lo Scarabeo's decks are all recognizable as an exceptional artistic value.TraditionOne of Lo Scarabeo's goals is the preservation of traditional Tarot decks.DevelopmentNew decks and ideas are continually gathered from all over the world. This allows Lo Scarabeo to produce some of the most innovative decks available today.QualityLo Scarabeo is committed to ever increasing quality and beauty of their products.Distribution*Llewellyn is the exclusive distributor of Lo Scarabeo products in North America.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot is a clone of the standard Rider-Waite deck. Computer graphic artist Davide Corsi remained extremely faithful to the RW imagery, so that anyone familiar with RW symbolism will be right at home with this deck. There are a few very minor modifications (Nine of Pentacles featuring a parrot rather than a falcon, for example), but they are not the kind of changes that alter the card's meaning.
The cards are made of excellent quality, slightly glossy stock, with the cardback design consisting of a rose and cross resting on a lotus, over a deep blue background. Card images are bordered in pale gold. The Major Arcana are identified with Roman numerals in the top and bottom borders, with Strength being VIII and Justice XI. The Minor Arcana are identified with standard suit-related icons (wands, cups, swords, pentacles) and with Arabic numerals, with Aces being card number 1. Court cards are identified with crown (king and queen), horse head (knight) and helmet (page) icons. As seems to be the case with Lo Scarabeo decks lately, none of the cards in either Arcana are identified by title, so the reader needs to be already familiar with RW card names and numbers in order to avoid referring to the LWB (little white booklet) all the time.
This Deluxe edition includes a velvet card pouch, which is beige with a red design, and closes with a drawstring. The pouch is well made, sturdy yet flexible, and quite roomy.
The artwork will appeal to people who like fairly realistic computer graphic art. It has been commented on another website that some of the figures seem to have a plasticky "storefront mannequin" feel to them, but I don't find that it is a distracting feature.
This is an excellent deck for anyone who likes to work with RW symbolism but may not necessarily be a fan of PC Smith's art. Readers who like having clearly-titled cards, i.e., the Sun card being titled "The Sun" as well as marked with the number XIX, might not appreciate the streamlined, minimalist feeling of this deck. On the other hand, lack of card titles and suit names frees the reader to call the Page of Pentacles the "Princess of Disks," the "Knave of Coins" or whatever title he/she prefers. In my opinion, this is one of this deck's greatest attributes.
I only have two minor issues with this deck:
1) the Page of Swords, being decked out in armour, cloak and steel helmet, looks more like a Knight than a Page.
2) the Emperor, with his white beard and his red clothing trimmed with white fur, reminds me somewhat of Santa Claus. I can't help but smile in faint amusement every time I draw this card.
In spite of these minor technicalities, I still highly recommend this deck to both beginners and experienced Tarot readers alike.
The cards are made of excellent quality, slightly glossy stock, with the cardback design consisting of a rose and cross resting on a lotus, over a deep blue background. Card images are bordered in pale gold. The Major Arcana are identified with Roman numerals in the top and bottom borders, with Strength being VIII and Justice XI. The Minor Arcana are identified with standard suit-related icons (wands, cups, swords, pentacles) and with Arabic numerals, with Aces being card number 1. Court cards are identified with crown (king and queen), horse head (knight) and helmet (page) icons. As seems to be the case with Lo Scarabeo decks lately, none of the cards in either Arcana are identified by title, so the reader needs to be already familiar with RW card names and numbers in order to avoid referring to the LWB (little white booklet) all the time.
This Deluxe edition includes a velvet card pouch, which is beige with a red design, and closes with a drawstring. The pouch is well made, sturdy yet flexible, and quite roomy.
The artwork will appeal to people who like fairly realistic computer graphic art. It has been commented on another website that some of the figures seem to have a plasticky "storefront mannequin" feel to them, but I don't find that it is a distracting feature.
This is an excellent deck for anyone who likes to work with RW symbolism but may not necessarily be a fan of PC Smith's art. Readers who like having clearly-titled cards, i.e., the Sun card being titled "The Sun" as well as marked with the number XIX, might not appreciate the streamlined, minimalist feeling of this deck. On the other hand, lack of card titles and suit names frees the reader to call the Page of Pentacles the "Princess of Disks," the "Knave of Coins" or whatever title he/she prefers. In my opinion, this is one of this deck's greatest attributes.
I only have two minor issues with this deck:
1) the Page of Swords, being decked out in armour, cloak and steel helmet, looks more like a Knight than a Page.
2) the Emperor, with his white beard and his red clothing trimmed with white fur, reminds me somewhat of Santa Claus. I can't help but smile in faint amusement every time I draw this card.
In spite of these minor technicalities, I still highly recommend this deck to both beginners and experienced Tarot readers alike.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars
2 reviews
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Attractive CGI Deck With Velvet Bag
Feb 20 2008
By Janet Boyer
- Published on Amazon.com
"The deck designed by Davide Corsi, under the supervision of Lo Scarabeo editorial team is the most recent and highly evolved representation of the Pictorial Key. Even though it is ostensibly simple and essential, the images, realized with modern painting techniques, are brimming with real and relevant symbolism, ideas, and intuitions that can be applied to various existential levels: ethical, meditative, divinatory and metaphysical." - From the L(ittle) W(hite) B(ook) to the Pictorial Key Tarot
From the Italian artist who illustrated the Tarot of the Elves emerges a vibrant CGI deck firmly planted in Rider-Waite-Smith imagery--the Pictorial Key Tarot. Gleaming metal and pockmarked stone, smooth marble and rough-hewn wood interplay with luxurious fabrics, star-studded skies, rippling waters and billowy clouds, but at the center remains the familiar RWS cast of characters and symbols.
At first blush, the Pictorial Key Tarot resembles another black-bordered CGI deck: the Gilded Tarot. However, there are several differences between the two decks. In the Pictorial Key Tarot, no card names or suits grace the borders, only Roman numerals for the Major Arcana, numbers and suit symbols for the Minor Arcana, and emblems for the Court cards (i.e. a helmet for Knaves, horse head for Knights, and crowns for the Kings and Queens).
The Pictorial Key Tarot takes less interpretive risks than the Gilded Tarot with its conformity to RWS imagery, and thus lacks the unnecessary frills, filigrees and random planetary placement of the Gilded Tarot. Yet, stark it is not because although the Pictorial Key deck stays faithful to the RWS, there is enough fresh artistry to make this an interesting and appealing deck even to veteran Tarotists (for example, there is a menacing sea monster in the foreground of the Moon card rather than the traditional benign crustacean).
Absolute Tarot beginners may have trouble with the Pictorial Key Tarot only because there are no names on the cards. However, in conjunction with a solid beginner book like Learning the Tarot by Joan Bunning or the Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot by Mark McElroy this would make a fine deck for those starting their Tarot journey.
Although some of the faces appear slightly mannequin-like upon closer inspection, there is enough detail and character in the imagery to paint a well-rounded intuitive picture despite this drawback. There is full frontal nudity in the Lovers and The Star, so if you're uncomfortable with anatomically correct renderings or if you read for children, you may want to consider those elements.
The cards measure approximately 4 x 2 inches with an attractive rose-cross emblem on back that is reversible. The only difference between the deck-only version and this Deluxe Kit is the latter comes with a tan velvet bag embroidered with red oroborus motif and satin tassels.
Personally, I'm enjoying working with the Pictorial Key Tarot and have had great success with it for spiritual contemplation. I find it familiar, comforting and clear--a wonderful deck for obtaining lucid insights and encouraging personal growth.
(To see 12 images from the Pictorial Key Tarot, visit the Reviews--Decks section at [...])
Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)
From the Italian artist who illustrated the Tarot of the Elves emerges a vibrant CGI deck firmly planted in Rider-Waite-Smith imagery--the Pictorial Key Tarot. Gleaming metal and pockmarked stone, smooth marble and rough-hewn wood interplay with luxurious fabrics, star-studded skies, rippling waters and billowy clouds, but at the center remains the familiar RWS cast of characters and symbols.
At first blush, the Pictorial Key Tarot resembles another black-bordered CGI deck: the Gilded Tarot. However, there are several differences between the two decks. In the Pictorial Key Tarot, no card names or suits grace the borders, only Roman numerals for the Major Arcana, numbers and suit symbols for the Minor Arcana, and emblems for the Court cards (i.e. a helmet for Knaves, horse head for Knights, and crowns for the Kings and Queens).
The Pictorial Key Tarot takes less interpretive risks than the Gilded Tarot with its conformity to RWS imagery, and thus lacks the unnecessary frills, filigrees and random planetary placement of the Gilded Tarot. Yet, stark it is not because although the Pictorial Key deck stays faithful to the RWS, there is enough fresh artistry to make this an interesting and appealing deck even to veteran Tarotists (for example, there is a menacing sea monster in the foreground of the Moon card rather than the traditional benign crustacean).
Absolute Tarot beginners may have trouble with the Pictorial Key Tarot only because there are no names on the cards. However, in conjunction with a solid beginner book like Learning the Tarot by Joan Bunning or the Absolute Beginner's Guide to Tarot by Mark McElroy this would make a fine deck for those starting their Tarot journey.
Although some of the faces appear slightly mannequin-like upon closer inspection, there is enough detail and character in the imagery to paint a well-rounded intuitive picture despite this drawback. There is full frontal nudity in the Lovers and The Star, so if you're uncomfortable with anatomically correct renderings or if you read for children, you may want to consider those elements.
The cards measure approximately 4 x 2 inches with an attractive rose-cross emblem on back that is reversible. The only difference between the deck-only version and this Deluxe Kit is the latter comes with a tan velvet bag embroidered with red oroborus motif and satin tassels.
Personally, I'm enjoying working with the Pictorial Key Tarot and have had great success with it for spiritual contemplation. I find it familiar, comforting and clear--a wonderful deck for obtaining lucid insights and encouraging personal growth.
(To see 12 images from the Pictorial Key Tarot, visit the Reviews--Decks section at [...])
Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome tarot card deck
Sep 23 2011
By J.August
- Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase
I have a great time reading the spreads. Great pictures, love the size, easy to understand the meaning of every card.
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Go to Amazon.com to see both reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
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