Prediction Tarot

Prediction Tarot
Bernard Stringer and Peter Richardson, 1985

This deck was printed by Carta Mundi and published in 1985. The little booklet has no background information on the artists, but the box states that the cards were designed by Bernard Stringer and illustrated by Peter Richardson. The publishers, The Aquarian Press, also used these illustrations to accompany several books on the Tarot.

The Prediction Tarot uses a toned-down color scheme reminiscent of older prints. Lots of muted blues, greens and yellows are used, and the occasional presence of red is muted as well. This palette is often toned-down almost to the point of being grey. The effect is very different than that of many decks we are used to seeing, where the color can appear almost rampant. In this respect, the deck shows a sophisticated sense of color. On the other hand, it may not not have that excitement for many of us who, living in today’s world of visual intensity, love being surrounded by rich color.

The draftsmanship of the designs is very good, especially those of the Trumps. There are some nice innovations, as well as allusions to some very old imagery. The Wheel of Fortune, shown above, is based on images which actually predate the Tarot, featuring a king at the top, two figures ascending and descending, and Fortuna who turns the wheel’s handle. This version looks like a mechanical series of interlocking wheels, like the sprockets of a bicycle. Fortuna is shown on an inner ring, implying that she is the scene’s only stationary element.

The Hermit has the same bent-over stance found in the oldest renditions of this card, such as the Visconti-Sforza version. Here he is shown in a monk’s robe, but his belt has only four knots as opposed to three, the knots usually symbolizing the vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. Unfortunately the little booklet does not explain the symbolic content of this deck, but provides only divinatory meanings. A nice feature of this version of the card is that, while the old man holds the more recent image of the lantern, the older symbol of the hourglass can be seen behind him. The large size of the hourglass accentuates the symbolism of its shape.

The minor arcana consists of straightforward arrangements of the suit symbols against a field of blue, with no additional ornamentation. The symbols, though, are well drawn. The sixteen court figures are also set against the blue field, but are otherwise as detailed as the Trumps. Each one holds the symbol of their suit and is dressed in slight variations in costume. Both the minors and the majors are essentially a modern rendition of designs found in earlier centuries.

Review by Mark Filipas, 9/1/00