jmd
Why am I opening this thread?
In a nutshell, many if us possibly hope to find an as-yet undiscovered document that predates the first extant deck or tarot reference but nonetheless suggests it. Of the thousands of manuscripts, perhaps there may be one (or some) from relatively unknown authors... though perhaps, too, one of the more famous and influential authors has written a tract that has thus far been overlooked by its scholars otherwise unfamiliar with tarot, and thus missing the connection.
Of all the early authors, Raymond Lull seems like a prime candidate for this possibility.
Raymond Lull (also written as 'Raymon Lully') was born at one of those cross-currents of culture, within normal travel to Marseille and the western Italian peninsula's coast, in one of those glorious islands off the coast of Spain: Majorca.
His father had been granted a fiefdom for his part in liberating the island from the Moors.
Without going into his biography (about the only item easily found both online and off), he lived between 1235 and 1315, intent on trying to 'save' (ie, convert) as many fellow human beings as possible, and was eventually stoned to death in North Africa.
His writings amount to over 300 volumes (though about 3000 have at various times been attributed to him - most very unlikely), including perhaps his more famous references to the Ars Magna and his kabalistically oriented book Arbor Scientiae.
He is of course influential with all those who in many ways bring to light the Renaissance, including Pico della Mirandola, Agrippa, John Dee, Giordano Bruno and Nicholas of Cusa. He is also said to have influenced the likes of Bacon, Descartes and Newton.
What interests me here is whether anyone has had occasion to read his more popular allegorical novels, especially the first (1284) Blanquerna and the second, dealing with an initiatory journey, Felix.
In it, we have a few elements that already sound like they may have tarot reference (or influence - and this is perhaps an undiscovered territory). For example, 'Ramon the Fool' instructed in the 'Ars Magna' and sent to the Pope by the Emperor - tarot connections would here very much depend on the other elements of the allegory, for these three are simply too common in terms of characters.
But to leave it here as simply an opening post on the possible influence on tarot by Lull, in his third novel The Book of the Lover and his Beloved, he writes:
Having only a few references and only minor extracts from his works, I have but a paucity of resources to draw from... yet... perhaps... especially one of his popular novels may shed another link or key.
In a nutshell, many if us possibly hope to find an as-yet undiscovered document that predates the first extant deck or tarot reference but nonetheless suggests it. Of the thousands of manuscripts, perhaps there may be one (or some) from relatively unknown authors... though perhaps, too, one of the more famous and influential authors has written a tract that has thus far been overlooked by its scholars otherwise unfamiliar with tarot, and thus missing the connection.
Of all the early authors, Raymond Lull seems like a prime candidate for this possibility.
Raymond Lull (also written as 'Raymon Lully') was born at one of those cross-currents of culture, within normal travel to Marseille and the western Italian peninsula's coast, in one of those glorious islands off the coast of Spain: Majorca.
His father had been granted a fiefdom for his part in liberating the island from the Moors.
Without going into his biography (about the only item easily found both online and off), he lived between 1235 and 1315, intent on trying to 'save' (ie, convert) as many fellow human beings as possible, and was eventually stoned to death in North Africa.
His writings amount to over 300 volumes (though about 3000 have at various times been attributed to him - most very unlikely), including perhaps his more famous references to the Ars Magna and his kabalistically oriented book Arbor Scientiae.
He is of course influential with all those who in many ways bring to light the Renaissance, including Pico della Mirandola, Agrippa, John Dee, Giordano Bruno and Nicholas of Cusa. He is also said to have influenced the likes of Bacon, Descartes and Newton.
What interests me here is whether anyone has had occasion to read his more popular allegorical novels, especially the first (1284) Blanquerna and the second, dealing with an initiatory journey, Felix.
In it, we have a few elements that already sound like they may have tarot reference (or influence - and this is perhaps an undiscovered territory). For example, 'Ramon the Fool' instructed in the 'Ars Magna' and sent to the Pope by the Emperor - tarot connections would here very much depend on the other elements of the allegory, for these three are simply too common in terms of characters.
But to leave it here as simply an opening post on the possible influence on tarot by Lull, in his third novel The Book of the Lover and his Beloved, he writes:
'Say, O Fool, hast thou riches?'
He answered 'I have my beloved.'
'Hast thou lands, castles, cities, provinces, or kingdoms?'
He answered 'I have thoughts of love, and tears, and desires, and trials and griefs, which are better than kingdoms or empire'.
He answered 'I have my beloved.'
'Hast thou lands, castles, cities, provinces, or kingdoms?'
He answered 'I have thoughts of love, and tears, and desires, and trials and griefs, which are better than kingdoms or empire'.
Having only a few references and only minor extracts from his works, I have but a paucity of resources to draw from... yet... perhaps... especially one of his popular novels may shed another link or key.