Visconti Questions

[Cup_of_Fire]

I have had this deck (Lo Scarebeo version) for years but just took it out today. I haven't done more than a couple readings on it because I am afraid of wearing the gold off (BTW, anyone use theirs on a regular basis? Does the gold end up fading or anything?). Anyway, it was calling me today.

I am reading the booklet and the card meanings are all different than RWS which is what I am used to. Does anyone out there read it like a RWS deck?

Oh the main question I have is this: Do you read the court cards as people ALL the time? The LWB says to, but I wanted others' opinions about that.

Thanks,

-Cup

 

[le pendu]

Hi Cup_of_Fire,

Welcome to the History section!

The Visconti is amazingly beautiful isn't it? I bought a big set of cards one year and put beautiful clips on them then decorated my Christmas tree with them!

It's wonderful to think that you are looking at images that are over 500 years old! We get to take a bit of a time travel into this other time and imagine what players thought of these images when the tarot was new and just getting popular (for the first time!).

One of the wonderful things about these old cards is that you can read them any way you want. The deck published by LS might have a little white book with instructions, but the original deck probably didn't! You don't have to follow any rules with this at all. You can make up your own intuitive meanings, there are no "right" answers.

This same type of question comes up often when discussing the Marseille Tarots (TdM). There's a recent thread HERE that might encourage you to explore alternative ways of reading with the Visconti deck. The Visconti deck is even older than the oldest existing TdM, by about 200 years! There's a lot of history in those cards!

Because there is no "right" and "wrong" way to read with these old decks, it's really up to you to decide how you'd like to approach it. You can follow directions in a LWB if that feels good to you. You can transfer other meanings if that sounds like a natural plan. Many people like to abandon those when dealing with antique decks. Because these existed before Waite-Smith and Crowley-Harris decks, they're not really based on them like most of the decks are today. Some people like to use elements and numerology. Others like to use old fashioned meanings from playing cards.

Whatever method works for you is what you should do; but I do encourage you to try leaving all those things you've learned from other decks out of your head and just allow these beautiful images to tell you themselves what they mean.

 

[jmd]

It's also likely that in that particular deck, the court cards were specific people of the Visconti and Sforza households - so I would well imagine someone 'interpreting' the card as "be just like uncle such-and-such!" (if used in that manner), with everyone at the table knowing just what was meant. But would personally not always assume that a court is, in the context of a reading, a specific individual.

Also, remember that the trumps are NOT numbered, and that their order is not unequivocally known (and that the deck has two modern renditions amongst those trumps).

It's a wonderful deck to allow one's imagination to take flight... so enjoy it's reading!!!

 

[Abrac]

I have had this deck (Lo Scarebeo version) for years but just took it out today. I haven't done more than a couple readings on it because I am afraid of wearing the gold off (BTW, anyone use theirs on a regular basis? Does the gold end up fading or anything?). Anyway, it was calling me today.

The gold foils seems to be fairly delicate. I noticed on mine there are a few places where it's starting to peel but it's not that noticeable. I never shuffle it but it's already showing signs of wear- scratches and scuffs, etc. It must be from just taking them out of the box and handling them.

 

[Rosanne]

Oh as an aside - what a great idea Robert to hang them on the Christmas Tree!!!!
I use mine a lot and have not noticed any deterioration in the foil. I do not use numbers as in Trump order- nor do I use the two replacement cards of the Devil and the Tower- because I believe they were never there- not lost or missing.I use the pips like school times tables with old fashioned Cups are gifts/ Coins are wealth/Swords are force/ wands are Growth. I associate the Courts with the personality energy according directly to the image- as jmd says like family members and their quirks. I do not assign gender to them either. I personally use the deck with family in a fun way and in a fortune telling way- like "How many children will my niece have?" and "how long till I get that phone call?" Light and frothy as a fun game- like it is said they were created for. I love these cards and just thinking about what Robert said- I am off to buy a big set- greedy me! Just stare at the cards awhile Cup of Fire and the meanings will come to you- they are not an occult deck like the RWS- they are just what they depict. I hope you get to use them often! ~Rosanne

 

[Cup_of_Fire]

Thank you all for the replies. I just posted in the reading exchange forum and am going to try doing an intuitive read based on the pictures, and using the LWB if I get stuck.

Yes, I love the pictures and I love knowing that this was created sooo long ago and feel so appreciative of that.