The Gilded Tarot by Barbara Moore
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Book Reviews of The Gilded Tarot
Book Review: A lushly beautiful tarot deck
Summary: 5 Stars
As someone who has studied the tarot for many years, I am always looking for decks that offer a new interpretation of familiar symbolism. It is also important that the artwork be unique and inspiring. In the Gilded Tarot, I found those qualities and more. Ciro Marchetti used the imagery of the Rider-Waite deck as a starting point, then added artistic depth and subtle touches that lift his work from the realm of mere copying into true art.
Those who, like me, have used the Rider-Waite deck or its clones almost exclusively may find Marchetti's art strikingly different at first, with its rich colors and darker tones. Some of the symbolism differs as well, not just from the Rider deck but from what one would expect using astrological principles as well. After using the deck for just a short time, however, Marchetti's imagery became very comfortable. The deep, vivid colors used added depth to my experience while reading the cards. The rich, sensual lushness which first drew me to this deck make it a pleasure to use on a daily basis. In contrast to the Rider tarot, the Gilded Tarot avoids harsh primary colors (like the stark yellow of some Rider cards) and instead the artist employs a deeper, more complex palette that is both soothing and engaging.
Some of the smallest touches Marchetti uses add to the deck's charm. Inquisitive animals appear throughout, both as companions and as observers to various scenes. (My favorites are the ginger tabby cats who playfully make their presence known in the Cups suit.) There are many other elements in the background on each card as well, features that serve to enrich the overall ambiance of the deck. This incredible attention to detail adds multiple layers of meaning to the cards. In fact, when I first used these cards I found myself continually stopping to study them, trying to absorb the beautiful images and add their meaning to my own experience of each reading.
In short, The Gilded Tarot is simply the loveliest and most fascinating tarot deck I have seen in almost thirty years of studying the subject. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the tarot, both for its sheer beauty and for its new take on the ancient symbolism of the cards.
Book Review: I love this deck!
Summary: 5 Stars
Tarot decks are all personal preference, how you percieve them affects if you like them or not. I personally love this deck. I was struggling with comprehending the tarot but with this set it gave me the insight to have an 'Ahhhh..I get it' moment. I think for the price your really get a great deal. This deck comes in a larger box which also has and actual book, not your basic folded stapled bits of paper with unhelpful descriptions, an actual book the describes your basic tarot information. Then it describes each card, what your looking at and drawing your attention to the important things, then it puts a description of what the card means in basic english. It does descibe reversals briefly, but not with each card which I think helped me because I find when both descriptions are listed it just confuses me. You also get a little bag and smaller box to put your cards in.
As for the deck, I love the images. The colors are beautiful and the images just glow. I like the additions of the animals and the color coded jewels that go with each suit. I've had experience with playing with tarot cards before, but had failed yet to really 'get' the cards. This deck along with the book helped me do that. I'm a pagan but also look at things very scientifically. It seemed to me that the book brought to light that the tarot doesn't 'tell the future' like many people think, but it brings your attention to the areas of you life where you need to put your focus to grow as an individual. I like it when logical and spiritual are mixed harmoniously ;) And I think that is done well with this set.
I would say this deck is good for tarot novices like myself, sometimes you just need something described the right way to finally get it. Its also a good deck for those that have studied the Rider-waite and found it lacking (I found it a blah deck myself)for the majority of the images beckon back to it. And besides, its a great deal for the money. I'm very happy with it.
I had a laugh when the reviewer said the fool looks like the prezzie. I guess he does kinda! Though he does have on a mask and a jokers hat so he's not an obvious replica. I'm still going to laugh now whenever I see that card now, lol!
Book Review: A Total Beginner's, Non-Technical Opinion
Summary: 5 Stars
Although I have long been interested in the tarot, this is the first deck I've ever bought, and it was the deck itself which was responsible. It really drew me to it, from the first moment I saw it. It's visually rich and stunning, yet at the same time, for me at least, warm and welcoming. Looking at the individual cards, I can get lost in them. For whatever reason, they speak to me, and that is apparently the most important criteria for choosing a deck, or rather, letting a deck choose you. This one really did. For some odd reason, although the faces are computer-generated, they seem more real and 'human' to me than in many other traditionally created decks I've seen. They seem like real people, which I find fascinating. I almost expect some of them to pop off the page and come to life. To me,the 'machineries' the artist includes do not disrupt the intricate warmth of the figures and symbolism, but meld seamlessly and charmingly. I in no way felt this was a 'cold' or 'technological' deck because of the artist's inclusion of this aspect.
I was also glad that the illustrations are based on the Rider-Waite deck, because whatever books I might buy to help me learn to interpret the cards will be easily relatable to this deck's illustrations.
I am VERY pleased with the accompanying book. I had thought to buy several "Tarot for beginners" books right away, but there is a lot of wonderful, very thoughtful exercise material for rank beginners (which is certainly what I am) which seems to me to be excellent grounding not only in this deck but any deck. I'm sure I will buy other books eventually, but this one seems perfect for me right now, especially in terms of getting in touch with the cards on a very personal level, which of course is the basis for successful readings. Simply memorizing a lot of information, as tarot beginners must do, has seemed pretty daunting to me, but the exercises in the books are geared to making your associations personal and intuitive rather than simply rote, hence more logical and easier to retain.
This deck and its accompanying book have made me eager to get started learning!
Book Review: Excellent for beginners!
Summary: 5 Stars
Myself, I'm a beginner in the art of tarot. I've been reading about tarot, symbols and archetypes for about 1 year so far.
The first book someone recommended me was "Jung and Tarot" (Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey), and it's a great book to understand each symbol and its origins and meanings in the many cultures and tarot decks available.
After reading this book, I've started searching a few websites for interpretations from other readers and authors, in order to make my very own meaning database. About 3 months ago fate made me enter a store and find a marseille Major Arcana deck. I bought it, and started practicing some readings and meanings.
Browsing through one of the websites from which I learn meanings, I saw this deck for sale. It was love at first sight. Wonderful illustrations, all of the 78 arcana, a companion book and so many good reviews about it.
In my mind, I simply HAD TO buy this deck. Well, said and done. I bought it, and couldn't be more satisfied.
I truly reccomend this deck for those who are still beginners and are looking for some complete and fancy deck to feel motivated to read and gaze at the pictures for a long long time...
The companion book makes the meanings simple for those who are still not that used to the cards, and suggests exercises to create your very own meaning database - what, in my opinion, is the most important thing: to create your own feelings about the cards.
In a few words: totally worthwhile.
Book Review: Beautiful Imagery
Summary: 5 Stars
This was the first deck I ever used, and I think it was a great choice to start exploring. It is based on the Rider-Waite system, but is much more visually appealing. The digitally-created artwork has a depth that makes the cards look almost three dimensional. It also features deep, luscious jewel-tone colors that look lovely next to the black borders of the cards. The companion book includes an interesting artist's note and some useful exercises to help novices get acquainted with the cards. The card interpretations are about average for a companion book. Some of them seemed too brief to me. I did have a few problems with the deck itself as well. While all of the images were wonderful to look at, some of them seemed to lack a certain depth, and some just did not seem to fit or make sense to me. For example, while most of the figures are clothed in Renaissance style costumes, in The Lovers the man wears a Roman warrior's helmet and the woman wears an armored brazier and an armored thong. No explanation for the bizarre costumes is given in the companion book. Another card that escaped me was The High Priestess. The woman in the card is floating in mid-air and is dressed in a Mardi-Gras mask, a see-through nighty, and long white gloves. It's a beautiful surreal image, but it made me think more of Cirque du Soleil than any kind of priestess. It especially irked me in contrast to The Hierophant, who is pictured literally as a pope or cardinal in front of a stained glass church window. Despite the problems, I recommend it as a decent learning deck and a wonderful collector's deck.