The Belgian Tarot

jmd

Fantastic reference to Francis Bacon regarding that passage in his Wisdom of the Ancients, kwaw. I must admit that though I had it noted many years ago in connection to my notes on Jupiter, I had never revisited the same in relation to the 'Belgian' Tarot, or had never read the passage at a time at which I was in any way looking at that deck.

Once read, it is so clearly obvious that the relation is allegorically there, at least in terms of Baconian considerations!

With regards to the Spanish Captain, I am a little reticent in seeing the relation suggested. I personally would be more convinced by a more direct connection made not in such a three-stepped round-about way, but rather something that showed a likely connection between at the very least Jupiter and it, or even more directly between Pope-like considerations and such a figure, even if distantly in jest or jab.
 

kwaw

Bacchus in other decks?

According to Andy Pollet:

"The other new subject, Bacchus, was probably inspired by the illustrations found on German-suited cards; still today in some of the German regional patterns used in the south of the country, the ace or daus of Acorns is decorated with a young Bacchus riding a cask. To fill the gap left by the Pope, the Franco-Belgian tarot may have picked a popular subject from an already existing pattern."

Does anyone have any links to information [publishers, region, dating] / images of these German cards?

Bacchus also appears on the 2 of Cups in the Chaffard TdM [1740's] (again is there any online information / links anyone can share?]; in terms of the relationship to the 2 of cups there is the Labyinth by Andrea Ghisi, 1616 [see Kaplan Vol II p.305] which shows bacchus astride a barrel squeezing grape juice into 2 cups.

Kwaw
 

Tesseljoan

re: JMD

I've always thought of the Spanish soldier as having to do with the 'independence' of the Low Countries from the Spanish. I thought, rather intuitively, that it referred to Philip II.

I have an engraving, not in digital format, but I'll hunt that down if you're interested, which shows Philip II and the pope kneeling in front of Christ, receiving a globe, sword and olive branch. It's from Wierix. It doesn't resemble our card *at all*, but it does show a connection made in propaganda between the Spanish and the Pope.

From what I understood, Philip always had a strong alliance with the pope. He also saw himself as a miles christi, a christian soldier, defending the catholic faith.

After the struggle for independence and the founding of the republic, Philip, the duke of Alba and the Spanish in general were not awfully popular...


However, we're talking no. 2 Papesse here, so we're still talking circumstantial evidence here ;-)
 

Ross G Caldwell

I think that's a great insight, Joan.

The Pope and the Popess are the "weak" cards through a lot of tarot history - the Popess is missing in the Minchiate and both in the Sicilian tarot, all of the Imperial and Papal cards are replaced in the Bolognese tarot by Papal order in 1725, and they are changed to Jupiter and Juno and l'Espagnol and Bacchus in northern Europe in the early 18th century.

I had a hunch it had to do with Dutch independence too... now it makes a great deal more sense, to portray the Pope as drunkard, and the Popess as a cowardly boaster (Spanish). Very interesting.

Thanks.

Ross
 

kwaw

I agree,as I stated in my first post, with there being a connection to the Spanish Succession, but think Philip II too early.

I think the reference is more likely to refer to Philip V of Spain and Pope Clement XI. We have a connection between Clement XI and 'bacvs' too through his banning of the bacchic revels of the Netherlanders artists society the Bentvueghels in Rome in 1720:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentvueghels
 

kwaw

XIIII · LA TEMPERENCE
Temperance

Temperance holds a jug in one hand pouring liquid into a jug on the ground... She has a banner that reads Fama Sol...

"Van Mander berated artists not just for excessive drinking, but for general dissolute conduct, noting unbridled, riotous and “gek” (crazy) behavior and bemoaning how poorly it reflected upon the profession giving it a “bad reputation.”

Van Mander was also concerned about artists squandering their money on so many sensual delights. He frequently equated artistic fame with wealth, and bemoaned what he saw as artist’s potential for fame pour out of their pockets and into a wineglass."

DISSOLUTE SELF-PORTRAITS IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY DUTCH AND FLEMISH ART by Ingrid A. Cartwright, Ph.D., 2007 p.146
 

kwaw

kwaw said:
...We have a connection between Clement XI and 'bacvs' too through his banning of the bacchic revels of the Netherlanders artists society the Bentvueghels in Rome in 1720:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentvueghels

"Their group affiliation (Schildersbent translates as “painter’s clique”) was based largely on the rites and rituals they held, including elaborate initiation ceremonies and feasts that all featured elements of Bacchic worship, but moreover, bacchanalian excess...

"... A drawing (Anonymous, Museum van Boijmans-Van Beuningen, Rotterdam) and painting (by Domenicus van Wijnen, known today in a ca. 1690 engraving by M. Pool) after a Bentveughel initiation ceremony shows a group of men surrounding a plump figure of Bacchus straddling a barrel and supplying everyone with wine."

DISSOLUTE SELF-PORTRAITS IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY DUTCH AND FLEMISH ART by Ingrid A. Cartwright, Ph.D., 2007 p.140
 

Rafaël

Belgian tarot research

Hi,
I'm picking up my research about Belgian Tarots since I found some new material. I put the data I'm sure about on the again accessible Taropedia.
I have reason to believe the most ancient Belgian Tarot might be by a certain Gérard Bodet from Liège. Does anyone has access to images of this Tarots?
Thanks,
R.
 

kwaw

Hi,
I'm picking up my research about Belgian Tarots since I found some new material. I put the data I'm sure about on the again accessible Taropedia.
I have reason to believe the most ancient Belgian Tarot might be by a certain Gérard Bodet from Liège. Does anyone has access to images of this Tarots?
Thanks,
R.

I know Gerard Bodet (AV FAVBOVRG, STE MARGVARITTE A LIEGE) made ordinary packs of French Suited cards and french suited tarot, but I wasn't aware he made a Vieville or Rouen-Brussels Style tarot!

Packaging from one of his decks is catalogued here:

https://www.archieven.nl/nl/zoeken?...code=18.E23&minr=840292&miview=inv2&milang=nl

6 Verpakking van speelkaarten. Formaat: 23 x 31,5 cm. Kleur papier: chamois.
Opdruk: cartouche, met in het midden een wapen, met daarboven: 1693, daaronder: GERARD BODET. Links, een engel met het jaartal 1693. Rechts, opschrift :
CARTES FINNES FAITES PAR
GERARD BODET AV FAVBOVRG
STE MARGVARITTE A LIEGE
Boven, de initialen GB. Kleur opdruk: groen.
In dorso, bijgeschreven met bruine inkt: Raeckende / De Autaer van St Anna / op het Munster tot Rurm. / dient wel Bewaert
91 Verpakking van speelkaarten. Formaat: 11,5 x 11,5 cm (fragment). Kleur papier: chamois.
Opdruk: tekst in cartouche :
... IOVEZ PAR PLAISIR
... ET NON PAR AVARICE
... LE GAIN DV IEV NE
... TE FERAT PAS RICHE
... GERARD BODET
Omgekeerd :
CARTE FINNES FAICTS PAR ...
GERARD RODET MAISTRE ...
CARTIE DEMEVRANT AV ...
COEVEROVGE A ST SEVERIN A LIEGE