"While tarot cards are now commonly associated with fortune-telling and spiritual guidance, they began as a game for the Italian elite. In this short film from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, curators delve into the museum's tarot collection - from rare hand-painted 15th-century decks to contemporary examples - tracing tarot's evolution across ages. Throughout, they highlight the cards' intricate craftsmanship, symbolic systems and links to diverse folklore, mythologies and astrology."
"Throughout, they highlight the cards' intricate craftsmanship, symbolic systems and links to diverse folklore, mythologies and astrology. Melding art and history, this short video explores how tarot endures as a rich visual language for expressing some of our most persistent hopes, fears and existential questions - with appeal even to those who don't imbue the decks with preternatural powers. Video by the Victoria and Albert Museum Directors: Hannah Kingwell, Holly Hyams"
Tarot originated as a game for the Italian elite and later became associated with fortune-telling and spiritual guidance. The museum collection ranges from rare hand-painted 15th-century decks to contemporary examples, illustrating shifts in design and meaning across ages. The cards display intricate craftsmanship and layered symbolic systems that connect to folklore, mythologies and astrology. Visual motifs and iconography reveal cultural influences and evolving interpretations. Tarot functions as a visual language that expresses persistent human hopes, fears and existential questions, maintaining appeal even among those who do not ascribe supernatural powers to the decks.
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