From: drm3p@darwin.clas.Virginia.EDU (David Ross Mcirvine)
Subject: Re: WANTED: Mantegna Deck
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 01:58:37 GMT


goodwins  writes:
[...]
> special deck of cards called the Mantegna Deck.  It contains 50
> cards showing the structure of the universe similiar to the work of
> Fludd or Dee.  Does anyone know where I can get a reproduction of
> this deck or find a book/articles on the subject?

	Seems to have publick use, so I'll post it:

	Giselle Lambert & Francois Trojani, *Suite d'estampes
de la Renaissance Italienne Dite Tarots de Mantegna, ou, Jeu
de Gouvernement du monde au Quattrocento, vers 1465* (Garches,
France: Editions Seydoux, 1985).
	2 Vols, with the 2d volume titled "Commentaire
alchimizue de Francois Trojani.
	Very tasty reproductions of all 50 cards.  Only place
I've seen all of them, and they are well done on good paper,
one per large quarto page.
	Any old book on prints, from Heineken, Ottley, and
onwards, will have a section on playing cards.  When they
talk about Giucco Tarocchi, they (usually) mean a 50 card
deck derived from Mantegna's.  I have seen it conjectured that
Mantegna made this deck for a Pope & a (help!ambassador?) to while away
the time during a months-long confab o Cardinals.  Don't believe
it, really . . . no recreation? were there no altar boys? :-)
	It bears *some* (not much) parallel to a few of the
50fold Kabbalist schemata adduced in this newsgroup.