Engraving heightened with goldexpand_more
Bequest of Herschel V. Jonesexpand_more P.68.96
Some of the earliest Italian prints ever made, the Tarocchi resemble tarot cards in design but were actually too large to hold as a deck of cards. The so-called E-series engravings, with their lovely allegorical figures, are famed for their precise outlines and refined modeling technique. Justice belongs to the suit of Genii and Virtues. The sword signifies the power of Justice; the scales, her impartiality. The crane holding the stone represents vigilance because if it fell asleep the stone would drop and awaken it. Euterpe is from the Muses and Apollo suit. The patroness of flute music, Euterpe is accompanied by a blank disk representing the celestial sphere of the Ptolemaic universe.
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