Tarocchi Cards 1495 - 1505

These hand-colored cards, whose anonymous maker remains unknown, offer a glimpse into the visual culture of the Italian Renaissance. Tarocchi cards were not simply for games of chance, but often encoded social hierarchies through their allegorical figures. Notice the prominent display of female figures, from queens to virtues, each rendered in the red ink that denotes their symbolic importance. How do these images challenge or reinforce the roles ascribed to women in the Renaissance? The cards also served as a powerful medium for social commentary. The scenes depicted invited players to reflect on their relationships to power, morality, and fate. What alternative narratives might these cards have offered to those on the margins of society? It's a potent reminder that even in games, the personal and political are inextricably intertwined.