Archivio della categoria 'English @en'

Tarosophy: the Laws of the Universe

Tarot Italia 2020 International Congress

An analysis of the connections between psyche and matter. Symbols and Tarot have the role of making accessible the so-called multidimensional matrix: an intertwining that contains information on “destiny”, Karma, and individual lives.

Giovanni Pelosini

I DO NOT BELIEVE IN TAROT

Tarot, Mirrors of Infinity

Giovanni Pelosini

I do not believe in Tarot. We often think of Tarot as a game, a game for charlatans, a way to predict the future. Those who feel that way became slaves of those prejudices, while the rational person refuses them. As a matter of fact, we consider Tarot to be irrational because of this very reason. Because magic is something we believe in, while science is something we can demonstrate. But science and magic used to be the same thing, and they still lead to the same thing. That is why I do not “believe” in Tarot, I study it.

Chief Seattle: “Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth”

It seems that in 1855 the President of the United States asked to purchase and colonize a large extension of Indian territory in the Northwest. It also seems that Chief Seattle (~ 1778-1866) of the Suquamish tribe replied to him with a letter: there are several different versions of it, probably not authentic, but rich in meaning. Anyway it is a great example of Love for Life.

If he could still do it, Chief Seattle today would write the same passionate words to the current President of the United States of America.

Mistaya Canyon, Giovanni Pelosini, 1995

The President in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. But how can you buy or sell the sky? The land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you sell them? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every humming insect. All are holy in the memory and experience of my people.

We know the sap which courses through the trees as we know the blood that courses through our veins. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadow, the body heat of a pony, and man, all belong to the same family.

The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water, but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred. Each ghostly reflection in the clear waters of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. The waters murmur in the voice of my father’s father. The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst. They carry our canoes and feed our children. So you must give to the river the kindness you would give any brother.

If we sell you our land, remember that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also receives his last sigh. The wind also gives our children the spirit of life. So if we sell you our land, you must keep it apart and sacred, as a place where man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow Flowers.

Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our Mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth.

Capo SeattleThis we know: The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

One thing we know: Our God is your God. The earth is precious to him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. Your destiny is a mystery to us. What will happen when the buffalo are all slaughtered? The wild horses tamed? What will happen when the secret corners of the forest are heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills is blotted by talking wires? Where will the thicket be? Gone! Where will the eagle be? Gone! And what is it to say goodbye to the swift pony and the hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival.

When the last red man has vanished with his wilderness and his memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving across the prairie, will these shores and forests still be here? Will there be any of the spirit of my people left?

We love this earth as a newborn loves its mother’s heartbeat. So if we sell you our land, love it as we have loved it. Care for it as we have cared for it. Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is when you receive it. Preserve the land for all children and love it, as God loves us all.

As we are a part of the land, you too are part of the land. This earth is precious to us. It is also precious to you. One thing we know: There is only one God. No man, be he Red Man or White Man, can be apart. We are all brothers.

Si’ahl (Chief Seattle)

http://www.ascensionnow.co.uk/chief-seattles-letter-to-the-american-president-1852.html

Fine dalla Torre Tarot

Tarocchi Carte Fine dalla TorreLe Carte Fine dalla Torre

‘FINE DALLA TORRE’ TAROT
XVII Century Tarot of Bologna

AFTER 400 YEARS A HISTORICAL TAROT DECK COMES BACK TO LIFE

The International Museum of Tarot sought to publish an ancient Italian deck that was as yet unpublished in the modern era.

Something not too far from the model that gave rise to the 18th century iconic illustrations of the so-called Tarot of Marseilles; well-known to enthusiasts, (and consequently to a large degree influential over decks published during subsequent centuries).

This choice went to the 17th century exemplary Bolognese deck of cards known as the ‘Fine della Torre’, which fortunately was passed down to us nearly complete and in fairly good condition. The only known example is preserved as “Tarot bolonais XVIIe s.” by the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, Estampes, KH 34 rés. boit 1, cf. cat. “Tarot, jeu et magie” n° 26 B.N. 1984. Nomenclature IPCS: IT-2.)

The original card size was 105 x 43 mm. (4.1” x 1.7”) and the Trumps were printed unnumbered although became numbered by hand afterwards.

In the new edition the card size is 6 x 14 cm. (2.4” by 5.5”)

At the time of production, being a Bolognese style deck meant it would be reduced from the traditional Tarot deck of seventy-eight to sixty-two cards; eliminating the Minor Arcana numbered: 2, 3, 4 and 5 of each suit, (following the custom in vogue in Bologna since at least the mid-16th century). Of the original sixty-two, only six cards remain lost to time: 6, 7, 8 & 9 of Swords, the Queen of Cups and Queen of Coins.

It is a similar deck to modern successors, such as the Tarocchino Bolognese, but at the same time has many resemblances to its ancestors of the 16th century (with the notable exception of the Devil card); at least with regards to the twelve surviving images of Trumps on two incomplete sheets from the last decade of the 15th century. The first is in the Bibliotheque de l’Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Masson Collection, (uncataloged), Paris. The second is in the Musée du Louvre, Rothschild Collection, LR 3804, Paris.

Curiosity over this precious deck of Tarot cards

In this early Tarot deck there are still traditional depictions of the High Priestess, Empress, Emperor and Pope, that were viewed unfavorably by authorities of the Papal States, and which were subsequently replaced in Tarocchino Bolognese; first by two Popes and two Emperors (by at least 1669) and eventually by images of the four “Moors” during the late 17th century.

From the perspective of symbolism, this deck shows extremely interesting details, particularly when compared to the traditional portrayal of the cards.

The High Priestess and Pope are the most remarkable cards of the Major Arcana. The High Priestess holds Keys and makes a blessing with a Latin gesture, while the Pope has a closed book and holds a cross. The latter also reveals stigmata on his hands, and has a youthful, beardless face that is decidedly feminine. The details of his Papal Tiara (a triple crown without button or cross) suggest a hypothetical design dating between 1342 and 1503.
All face cards of the Major Arcana are interesting from a historic and symbolic point of view, while the Court Cards consistently reflect complementary qualities of courtly pairing in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
The distinction between male suits (Wands and Swords) and female (Cups and Coins) is all too evident with the obvious presence of two female chambermaids. However, in this regard, there are many other significant details, such as the postures of these characters, their attire, attributes and ageless appearance.
The 10 of Coins has the inscription “CARTE FINE DALLA TORRE IN BOLOGNA” with 17th century typography. These words are capitalized and displayed vertically. Most likely one of many heirs of an abundant production of cards that was documented in Bologna with the manufacturer Pietro Bonozzi since at least 1477, while their presence was certified in town since at least 1459 (refer to the Tarot Travel Guide of Italy, 2015, page 50 by Morena Poltronieri, Ernesto Fazioli & Arnell Ando.)

The back of the cards

On the back of the cards are two winged angels. One is the classic Cupid with bow and arrow, while the other points to a large tree with a heart hanging like fruit. This is probably a reference to the myth of Apollo and Daphne; both struck by arrows of Eros, but with opposite results. Apollo fell in love with Daphne, while she flatly refused his advances after a long chase through the woods. So as not to give into the passions of the ‘God of Oracles’, this nymph, prayed for an escape and was thus transformed into the sweetly scented laurel plant, (Ovid, Metamorphoses, I, 452-567) known as “Daphne” in Greek and which consequently became the symbolic tribute to great poets in Ancient Greece.

Fine dalla Torre Tarot, box setsWork on the cards

In April 2014 Morena Poltronieri and Ernesto Fazioli (of the International Museum of Tarot) began the challenge of returning this precious Bolognese Tarot of the 17th century back to production.

The original fifty-six cards of the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris are engraved on wood with a colorful façade. Poltronieri and Fazioli did not perform an actual restorative process directly on these cards, but rather worked on the images digitally, through various color definition phases, both with pastels and by utilizing computer graphics.

The first step was to print the image in A4 format and then define the contours and colors using professional pastels. The refined images were then scanned and set in Photoshop to clean up smudges caused by time and wear. One of the goals was to not interfere creatively with the look of these cards, but to preserve the original freshness, which is characteristic of the era, and a valuable and distinctive artwork. The end result is respectful of the unique designs, contours and colors, while adding a greater definition to the innate beauty and appearance inherent in the original imagery.

The missing Queens (Cups and Coins) have been redesigned and processed through Photoshop, while referring to the Court Cards of an 18th century, double sided, Tarocchino Bolognese, which is part of the permanent collection of the Tarot Museum.

For us the fruit of the labor will be in sharing the revival of one of the most important Italian Tarot works of the distant past.

After nearly four centuries, this quintessential 17th century deck is again available.

This text was written by Giovanni Pelosini and translated by Arnell Ando.

Tarot Travel Guide of Italy

Tarot Travel Guide of ItalyMorena Poltronieri

Ernesto Fazioli

Arnell Ando

Tarot Travel

Guide of Italy

History of a Mystery

from the Renaissance

Introduction

by

Giovanni Pelosini

Travel is always an adventure in the labyrinths of the psyche. When our physical body moves
and the senses are stimulated by new colors, sounds, tastes and visions, the mind continuously
travels, to evoke in ourselves ancient memories.
If the journey is a dip into the historical and cultural memory of our own civilization, every cell
in our body vibrates in tune with the places visited.
But if, as in this case, Tarot is the objective, but also the symbolic realm which guides an
extraordinary trip to Italy, then every moment will be a memorable cultural experience ~
emotional, evocative, esoteric, evolutionary and educational.
The Italian Renaissance was an extraordinary moment in history in which the ancient cultural
traditions were dramatically challenged by the cult of beauty and harmonious artistic expression
in an atmosphere of freedom and exploration. Brilliant humanists who were still unknown at that
time, created a fascinating game for aristocrats and the multitudes, which concealed an initiatory
phase of content; a philosophical heir to Platonic thought, aimed at freeing humanity, with wings
to attain a higher consciousness, beyond the limits of matter and mind.
Traveling the trail of Tarot in Italy is to venture into the past, surrounded by art and beauty, by
history and legend, culture and mystery. It is not a journey for everyone; for not all are prepared
to become mirrors of infinity. When that which is infinite wants to manifest itself to us, it must
first be translated into something finished; when the invisible wants to reveal itself, it must
become visible, and when we invite the unknown to express itself, the absolute descends into a
space denser and more intelligible than the senses and the mind. And as always, we call this
‘creative expression’.
The journey of the Tarot in Italy is nourishment for the senses, the intellect and the spirit. The
connections between the Tarot, the destinations, the characters, the situations, the experiences
that you can live out in Italy are innumerable, and a lifetime would not be enough to comprehend
it all. Like any travel, it is an adventure that never ceases to amaze, and a quest that never ends.
Bologna, Milan, Siena, Ferrara, Bergamo are only the first stages of a bountiful path that would
cross every village and city of the peninsula. Pisa, Florence, Lucca, Orvieto, Rimini, Urbino,
Mantua might be suggestions for further travel, but this would only be a tantalizing hors
d’oeuvre, to stimulate the intellectual appetite; an invitation to totally immerse yourself in the
fascinating world of Tarot, with the genuine risk of getting lost in the vast and stimulating,
consciously functioning, open-air museum that is Italy.
Even Italians are often surprised by the rich heritage that their illustrious ancestors left behind,
but more often they take for granted the good fortune of living each day immersed in history and
culture, art and beauty. For a foreigner, such total immersion is a unique and absolutely
memorable experience.
So as not to get lost in the esoteric journey narrated in the Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri
needed three guides: Virgil, Beatrice and St. Bernard. If you choose to take an Italian Tarot tour,
the expertise of Morena Poltronieri, Ernesto Fazioli and Arnell Ando offer the best guides
possible for an amazing trip: their love of the history, art and culture of Tarot is tangible, while
their knowledge of the themes, events and places is unique, and their humanity heartfelt.
Buon viaggio.

Giovanni Pelosini

 

 

 

I Tarocchi Appropriati

Tarocchi Appropriati

Muse o Dei by Hermatena

Mutus Liber

TAROCCHI APPROPRIATI

This unusual collaborative project harkens back to a time in Tarot history when nobility would enjoy playing clever parlor games with the cards. The accompanying 96-page booklet gives a brief overview of the historical context from which the hosts of Tarocchi Appropriati (Morena Poltronieri & Ernesto Fazioli) were inspired to pay homage to such ancient Tarot word games. Written documentation still in existence from 1668 – 1725 Bologna shares how these challenging games were performed in playful (often catty) competition amongst friends. As Morena Poltronieri explains:

The “Appropriate Tarots” were presented in Bologna (Italy) and Lodovico Frati, in a manuscript of 1668, wrote about this particular system of reading. ‘The Trumps of Appropriate tarocchini’, were composed of two different parts: the first part listing the correspondence between the Trumps and the ladies of the past, and the second supplies in prose an explanation of the proposed correspondence. From this ancient system of reading was born the project “Appropriate Tarot.” Like in the past, the 22 Major Arcana inspire poetry – one poem for each card.

We are invited, along with this select group of artists to revisit an ancient era in Bologna, when a group of refined ladies would gather together to play parlor games (often ‘tongue’ in cheek’) with hand-painted Tarocchi cards, in order to test wits and lyrical skills with insight or parody on public figures & social commentary, as relating to each Trump card.

The 22 Major Arcana cards created for this deck by the various international artists are presented in B&W in the booklet along with the artists’ own interpretations, which is then followed by an inspired bit of prose by Jari Casagrande. This poet also created the IX Hermit card. While renowned Tarot historian Giovanni Pelosini who oversaw this project contributed the XIV Temperance Card. Continua a leggere »

Questo sito utilizza cookie, anche di terze parti, per inviarti pubblicità e servizi in linea con le tue preferenze. Chiudendo questo banner, scorrendo questa pagina o cliccando qualunque suo elemento acconsenti all'uso dei cookie. Leggi tutto

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close