The Crystal Tarot is inspired by Gustav Klimt (1862 - 1918), a Viennese painter who was one of the greatest leaders of the artistic cultural movement known as Liberty, Art Nouveau, or Secession. When he painted 'Beethoven Frieze' in 1902, Klimt tried to describe the intentions of his work and its symbolic language. He spoke of 'the suffering of the human race' and 'the external and inner forces which move man to fight for happiness'. 'The desire for happiness finds solace in poetry. The arts lead us to the ideal realm where we can find absolute peace, absolute love. Joy, that wonderful divine spark. This kiss to the entire world'. The Crystal Tarot shares this viewpoint that is so in tune with the nature of tarots. Together with a will (the Cartomant's) capable of understanding and directing the latent force of their symbols, they permit creating a connection with the emotional tensions, existential states, and intangible realities which make up the inner being of every individual.
The softness of the drawing is immediately obvious in the archetypal figures painted by Elisabetta Trevisan. Approaching and accepting the symbolism of this deck is truly impossible without recognizing the influence of the Liberty style. Before providing allegorical elements, the drawings of the Crystal Tarot offer an atmosphere, a sequence of sensations which are communicated to the reader through observation of each card. The Arcana seem to travel in a cocoon-like peaceful universe without loud noises or sudden movements where each figure is permeated by extreme gentleness, comprehension, and consuming melancholy. The image is like poetry in this deck: to use and interpret it, we must trust our inner poetry.
Pack information: 78 cards with booklet
Card dimensions: 65 x 120 mm
Author: Elisabetta Trevisan
Guest Review by Brian Stevenson
Inspired by the paintings of the 19th/20th Century Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, all the cards in the Crystal Tarot have a remarkable jewel-like quality. All the people shown in the cards are elaborately costumed and all have carefully drawn expressive faces. There is a definite feeling that they are all trying to communicate an elusive 'something' to the reader.
Most of the backgrounds have turquoise blue as the predominate colour. However, on closer inspection the reader will see that all the backgrounds are full of detail and symbolic imagery. In some cards, such as The Fool, the figure stands out clearly from the background; but in others, such as The Empress, the figure merges into the background and the reader has to think carefully where the figure finishes and the background starts.
The Major Arcana cards show the cards' traditional name in five different languages. However, the accompying booklet gives different names to all the Major Arcana. For example, The High Priestess is called Science; The Emporer is called Stability and The Chariot is re-named Victory. The booklet does not offer any explanation for this and it is up to each reader to decide whether to use these alternative names and meanings or whether to stick with the more traditional names and meanings.
The Minor Arcana cards are not fully-illustrated in the Rider-Waite style. However, they do contain some imagery which will help the reader to interpret the card. They also contain a large amount of decorative detail, which contributes to an impression of richness and luxury.
As the Minor Arcana are not fully illustrated, the deck is perhaps not entirely suitable for absolute beginners. However, it will appeal to anyone interested in Klimt and late-19th and early-20th Century art.
UK Royal Mail Tracked 48 – Flat charge £3.50, or free on orders over £40
Order by 3pm Monday - Friday (excluding public holidays) for same day dispatch. Delivery after dispatch is 2-3 working days.
UK Royal Mail Tracked 24 – Flat charge £4.70, or £1.70 on orders over £40
Order by 3pm Monday - Friday (excluding public holidays) for same day dispatch. Delivery after dispatch is 1-2 working days.
UK Special Delivery Royal Mail by 1pm next working day – from £9.80
Order by 3pm Monday - Friday (excluding public holidays) for same day dispatch. No delivery at weekends or bank holidays, orders dispatched on Friday will be delivered on Monday. A signature is required. The exact price is based upon the weight of items in the basket.
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY
Choose between Royal Mail post (cheaper and slower) or DHL (more expensive and faster).
• Royal Mail to Europe 3-6 working days after dispatch - from £4.20 (2 kg max.)
• DHL to Europe from 1-2 days after dispatch - from £19.96.
• Royal Mail to Outside Europe 6-10 working days after dispatch - from £6.48 (2 kg max.)
• DHL to Outside Europe from 1-2 days after dispatch - from £25.00.
Order by 3pm for Royal Mail and 12 midday (Monday – Friday) for DHL, for dispatch on that
day (Excludes public holidays). Exact price and transit time based on combination of
destination and weight of parcel.
RETURNS INFORMATION
We accept returns of unopened / unused products within 60 days, please refer to our FAQ page for more information on this.
2 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
-
Fantastic to read with
I love these cards, they're fantastic to read with! I like the fact that the pip cards are still relatively simple & traditional (as apposed to being picturesque, as with the Rider-Waite). Having said that the patterns & colours easily lend themselves to seeing things clairvoyantly in the cards. I absolutely love the artwork, Elisabetta Trevison is an outstanding artist, her style is colourful & bohemian which makes this a truly magical tarot pack. A very easy pack to read with, give them a go!
-
Irresistable
What can I say? 'Oh how I love these cards' Would it be enough? I suspect not. These are simply one of the most beautiful decks I have seen in a very long time and they fill me with enthusiasm. There's an overwhelming desire to look at them, touch them and an irresistible urge to read them! What more could you want? Once again Lo Scarabeo, Torino has, I suppose, literally 'Come up trumps' with this deck which is inspired by the artwork of Gustav Klimt, who said: 'The desire for happiness finds solace in poetry. The arts lead us to the ideal realm where we can find absolute peace, absolute love. Joy, that wonderful divine spark. This kiss to the entire world.' Certainly this Tarot in the use of geometric pattern and colour does indeed create a Tarot reminiscent of iridescent crystals. The Major Arcana has a feel of the original 'Visconti' deck, teamed with the pattern and colour of Klimt. The Minor Arcana are unashamedly 'pip', but such a pip deck probably hasn't been seen since the 'Celtic Tarot' set by Courtney Davis (also available on this site). They are intricate, they are colourful, the chalices are golden, and the pentacles often like mini suns and the wands like myriad faceted crystals. For an evocative card, take a look at the 'Knave of Spades'; the power in that card just seems to reach out to you. This Tarot is not just 'Another one for the collection', it is a one which is guaranteed to become a favourite for readings and meditations.
