The Art of Tarot - Part I: Where It All began

There is something fascinating about a deck of tarot cards. Perhaps it is the imagery, the symbolism, or the

way a single card can invite us to see a familiar situation differently. But where did tarot begin, and what exactly is inside a deck?

From Renaissance Italy to Modern Tarot

Tarot first appeared in fifteenth-century Italy as a card game. Beautifully painted decks were commissioned by wealthy families, including the Visconti-Sforza family circle in Milan. The cards were not originally created as a method of predicting the future. Over time, especially from the late eighteenth century onwards, European writers began connecting tarot with divination and esoteric traditions. In 1909, the Rider Waite Smith deck, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, helped popularise fully illustrated scenes on the numbered cards. Its imagery remains influential today.

A Deck of 78 Cards

A traditional tarot deck has 78 cards, divided into the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The 22 Major Arcana explore larger themes: beginnings, choices, change, hope and completion. The Fool, The Lovers, Death and The Star are among the best-known examples. Death, for instance, is usually read symbolically as change or the end of a chapter, not a literal prediction.

The Four Suits

The 56 Minor Arcana cards describe more everyday experiences:

Cups - Emotions & Relationships

Cups explore feelings, love, intuition, emotional connections and relationships.

Wands - Creativity & Ambition

Wands represent inspiration, enthusiasm, personal growth, ambition and the energy behind our actions.

Swords - Thoughts & Chanlenges

Swords are associated with the mind, communication, decisions, conflict and mental clarity.

Pentacles - The Material World

Pentacles explore work, finances, security, practical responsibilities and our relationship with the physical world.

Each suit has ten numbered cards and four court cards: Page, Knight, Queen and King.

Together, the cards form a visual language that readers learn through study, observation and practice.

Until Next Friday

Now that you know where tarot came from and how the deck is organised, you may be wondering: what

actually happens during a reading?

Join us next Friday for Part II, when we explore how readers work with the cards.

Keep an eye on our Instagram and TikTok: a free beginner’s gift is on its way.

Stay tuned, your journey is just beginning.

With a little magic,

The Mystic Girl