Preview by Dr. Victor Paul
Designed and Illustrated by Roxana Paul.
Publisher: The Rising Sun Publishing House.
Book ISBN: 978-0-9946085-6-7.
Retail price: U.S. $90
Released: 2017 (May).
Available at https://store10170299.ecwid.com/
The Venetian Carnival Tarot Kit: a limited edition luxury deck of 78 gilded edged cards and a 120 pages companion book (in the sturdy box).
Summary
Venetian Carnival Tarot is a classically structured 78-card deck with artistic designs that reflect the cultural vibrations of Venice in the epoch when (and probably where) Tarot was invented. Applying Jungian determination of the ‘Persona’ (Mask) archetype, the cards’ images reconstruct symbolism of that epoch through an appropriate cultural context. The Venetian Carnival Tarot cards help a reader to unlock the door to the inner realm of querents, hiding behind social masks to feel a resonance from the unconscious that pushes people towards some behavioral patterns. The Venetian Carnival Tarot companion book is based on the essence of Jung’s theory of psychological types for the comprehensive explanation of the deeper cards meanings and understanding of querents’ identities.
In-Depth Preview
The Venetian Carnival Tarot deck, created by Roxana Paul and published by the Rising Sun Publishing House, reflects the cultural vibrations of Venice in the epoch when Tarot was invented in North Italy (with some probability, in Venice). All types of the Venetian Carnival masks are depicted in 78 inspirational cards with images of masked characters who talk to a reader, telling their stories in terms of Carl Jung’s ‘Psychological Types.’ This deck is an amazing introduction to both a contemporary decision-making style of psychologically oriented divination (as opposed to the old-fashion fortune-telling), and in-depth querents’ analysis to understand their real desires and inclinations are hidden behind social masks. The synchronicity principle introduced by Carl Jung and his theory of psychological type together with recent Jungian findings form a foundation for one more step of Tarot development.
The Venetian Carnival Tarot cards are intended for:
• Professional and amateur Tarot readers who can use efficiently these traditionally structured fabulous cards with ingenious Renaissance symbolism in reading sessions.
• Followers of New Age, modern paganism, Theosophy, and other contemporary esoteric movements as a tool for self-development.
• Tarot collectors who can find here evocative imagery, vibrant colors, and brilliant digital performance.
• Life coaches, counselors, and psychotherapists that thought-provoking and intuition-triggering images release the imagination, opening a full spectrum of teaching/healing possibilities.
The cards:
The trumps follow the Tarot de Marseille’s structure with Justice numbered 8 and Strength 11 (though the Fool is numbered 0). The trumps are the following : The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Justice, The Hermit, The Wheel of Fortune, Strength, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World. The suits are traditional, including Wands, Swords, Pentacles, and Cups. As regards the Minor Arcana cards, unlike the Tarot de Marseille they are illustrated exquisitely with images of all kinds masked Venetian Carnival’s characters. I found this deck as a useful tool, which any contemporary Tarot reader even a novice with a basic knowledge can use for a practical Tarot reading.
The cards are borderless (by current Tarot fashion), and they have rounded corners. Due to the symmetrical backside design, the cards can be used reversed. The cards of size 2.76 x 4.72 are printed on high quality 350 gsm stock. This size is convenient to shuffle.
The book:
A 120 page companion book is provided with the deck. It takes a look at Tarot through the prism of Carl Jung’s ‘Psychological Types,’ and the four main psychological functions: thinking, feeling, sensation, and intuition, as well as the two most important attitudes, including introversion and extraversion. The key Jungian archetypes: the Persona, the Shadow, and the Self-use to explain and direct the divination process. The Persona as a social role has several layers to obstruct the identification of real personality. The Shadow includes desires and memories that are deeply hidden in the subconscious and are rejected by a querent as incompatible with his or her Persona. The Self is the central archetype, which integrates psychological order and the wholeness of the personality.
The book applies all the above concepts to solve two interrelated tasks. First of all, to give a comprehensive explanation of deeper cards meanings in the form that useful for the efficient reading process. The second task is understanding and brief describing of a querent’s psychological profile to provide her or him with an adequate interpretation of reading results. I found as a brilliant an idea to glance behind a social mask to discover true desires and intentions. There is also some description of Venetian Carnival masks’ symbolism and its use in this deck’s design.
The art:
The deck is illustrated throughout in a brightly colored Photoshop style. Digital drawing of all cards is both enchanting and delightful. The masked faces and costumes are depicted on the cards in detail. The painting itself is thought-provoking and senses-stimulating, and I find images of the cards as exotic and the artwork very inspirational.
Some card’s images are easily recognizable, for instance, the Magician with all attributes of his role. Others, including the Devil who looks like Casanova, the three-faced Chariot, and the jester-masked Fool are out of rigorous Tarot standards, but all of them create a new impression. I discovered some system inside the deck: all Knights wear the ‘Dottore Peste’ (mask or the Plague Doctor), all Kings are in Bauta masks, and the Queens wear the ‘Dame’ masks. All the main classical Venetian carnival masks are here, in the Venetian Carnival Tarot cards, including the ‘Gatto’ (the Cat) mask (Ten of Wands), the Volto mask (the Hermit). The Hanged Man’s mask looks like it comes from ancient Greek tragedy, and indeed the ‘Persona’ means theatrical masks or ‘false face’ that ancient Greek actors wore on the stage.