Tarot Of Marseilles Isis Version

Patrick Booker said:

I found this:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://www.isis-osiris.com/

Seems like he worked with Camoin at one time.

Patrick

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Mr. Onuma was key to getting the Camoin deck released in Japan. He put together a box set with Camoin's deck, and a thick hardback book, which he co-authored with Mr. Camoin on the 'Camoin Method' some seven or eight years ago. I bought a set. I didn't like the deck, so gave it to a girlfriend. I kept the book until I'd read it, then gave it to the girlfriend too.

Whether he worked with Camoin or not, I'm still not seeing any resemblance between the two decks. Will know more when I receive mine.

I certainly don't mind the Camoin/Jodorowsky effort, except for the absurd claim that they have rediscovered the only true and authentic Marseilles tarot (in reality, they just made up a bunch of pseudo-esoteric nonsense and worked it into their deck). The book Jodorowsky wrote, which was recently published in English, is absolutely hilarious. I'm not sure what it is about French mystics, but their work always comes off as scatterbrained rather than mystical. Perhaps it's just lost in translation. Meditations on the Tarot and the works of Eliphas Levi read exactly the same to me. Have not tried Papus.

I sat and read part of Jodorowsky's book a few weeks ago in my local Barnes and Noble. It was... interesting.

I'm a huge fan of The Incal though. I used to read it serialized in Heavy Metal. The mysticism really worked there.

The Incal looks good —*will check it out.

Just read Day of the Magicians (excellent) which has an intro by Jodorowsky. In it, he misleads the reader into thinking DOM was his idea, and how brilliant the authors were at realizing his dream. In actuality, he had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of this book. I've rapidly grown leery of anything associated with Jodorowsky, but if you like The Incal, I'll give it a try.

If you liked the movie The Fifth Element, then you'd probably like The Incal. In fact Jodorowski sued Luc Besson over The Fifth Element, claiming story and graphic ideas were lifted from his comic. I don't know about that, but they do have a similar feel. And both share a mystical/spiritual theme at the heart of a science fiction tale.

Part of what makes The Incal are the drawings by Moebius. I just love his style. I don't have the reprint collections, sadly. I have read that the Marvel Comics reprints are better, in that they didn't censor the nudity and were better printed. Apparently the Humanoids reprints, which can be more easily found, are not as nice. If you do check it out, I hope you like it.

I probably have that comic to thank for my interest in tarot, at least in part. It definitely sparked an interest in the esoteric for me.


And to get back on the topic, as others have noted, I'm not really seeing a resemblance between the ISIS and Camoin/Jodo's other than they're both based on the Conver. Of course two decks that stem from the same source material are going to have superficial similarities. But the ISIS is drawn in a very different style. I'm also not seeing any claim that the ISIS is "the true authentic Marseilles tarot" as anubis777 puts it. I DO see a claim that they hope to have produced "the world's most beautiful Marseilles Tarot."

Back on topic...

I have to say, after waiting two weeks and with my decks stuck in customs I finally paid the customs fees and managed to get my decks (I bought two; I had a funny feeling about this one) and I absolutely love this deck, absolutely love it.

The first thing I felt when I took it out of the book was "at last! cardstock like I used to see in my very first decks". My mind was instantly cast back to when I bought decks 25 years ago. The stiff, resistent feel of the cardstock. That quality Japanese paper has done the deck proud.

I have no idea what the deck is purporting to do, whether it is an authentic anything, I do have decks which I would consider authentic (in my mind I know which are authentic, just don't ask me to justify it!), but this one is loveable in the way very few decks are. Historical or otherwise.

It has a kind of hyper-realism about the faces and lovely pink, fleshy little hands. In certain light, the faces are eerily real but not digitally so, the eyes peer with such mischevious expressiveness. I am very happy with my facsimilie Conver reproductions but this is a Conver for reading with. Eye rhythm spreads with this would be a joy as it is such a sharp deck, the eyes really do peer and squint (one of the horses on the Chariot is winking!) I have never been a fan of the Fournier Marseilles though I can understand why some people might like it, in a cheap and cheerful way (but this deck knocks the Fournier into a cocked hat). After customs charges this most certainly was not cheap, but it feels, if not cheerful, sharp and witty and playful and stunningly well done. We see that so rarely nowadays in deck production.

I don't seek authenticity here but it is a deck I want to cradle lovingly!

Just to say I have reviewed this deck on my blog...

I just received mine last week. I think it's an absolutely gorgeous deck.

Greg Stanton said:

I just received mine last week. I think it's an absolutely gorgeous deck.

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me too. I'm in love

I really wasn't expecting to love it quite so much. But I do. I cannot stop looking at it.

Eyes wide opened

Le Fanu said:

me too. I'm in love

I really wasn't expecting to love it quite so much. But I do. I cannot stop looking at it.

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Ha ha !! it does explain your real picture from your avatar on ATF: It IS your exact face so ?
You used your webcam to send it ?

Another surprise should comes up from France in coming months too that should delighted you too.

Salude from Marseille

YLM