Symbolism of the Tarot Trumps: Through the Eyes of the Artists, with Robert M. Place, beginning January 21
Date: Tuesdays January 21, 28, 4.
Time: 7pm - 9pm EST
Admission: $120 ($100 for Patreon Members). To become a member, click here.
The course will take place via Zoom, offering a convenient and interactive experience. All classes will be recorded to accommodate participants with different schedules. Recordings will be available to all ticket holders, allowing you to access the course material at your convenience.
I have found that when I am reading Tarot cards they work best when I have made friends with the figures on the cards, so that the images speak to me. To make friends, it is essential that I understand the symbols on the cards as the artists who first created them intended.
According to Robert Place, Tarot cards often work best when a connection is established with the figures on the cards. Befriending them, so to speak, allows the images to communicate more clearly. To build this connection, it is essential to understand the symbols on the cards as they were originally intended by the artists who created them.
Many occultists, while creating spurious histories for the Tarot, also developed intricate systems of associations for the cards, linking them to Hebrew letters, planets, astrological signs, and obscure sets of esoteric meanings. At their most extreme, these associations transformed the Tarot into a labyrinth of secret symbols or codes, often disconnected from the artwork itself.
However, historical evidence clearly shows that the Tarot was created by Renaissance artists in the 1400s, and the illustrations directly reflect the artistic and cultural influences of that period. By studying this history and comparing Tarot images to other works of art from the same era, we can begin to understand the Tarot trumps as the artists who created them originally intended. This approach brings us closer to the true essence of the cards, rooted in their authentic artistic and historical context.
In this three-part class, we will do just that. We’ll explore historic examples of Tarot cards alongside related Renaissance art, uncovering the rich visual and symbolic connections. We’ll also examine the earliest written interpretations of the symbolism, learning to understand the Tarot’s imagery as profound works of art, deeply rooted in history and mystical philosophy. This course lays a crucial foundation for all my future teachings, offering a deeper, more authentic understanding of Tarot. Recordings will be made available indefinitely, ensuring lasting access to this essential material.
Class One: The Structure of the Tarot Trumps
Explore the connection between the Tarot Trumps and the Renaissance Triumphal parade.
Learn about the three groups of seven cards, each corresponding to one of the three parts of the Platonic soul.
Compare the Fool and the first seven Trumps to related Renaissance artworks.
Class Two: The Remaining Trumps in Historical Context
Analyze the remaining Tarot Trumps by relating them to Renaissance art.
Place the cards in their historical and cultural context, deepening the understanding of their symbolism.
Class Three: Early Written Interpretations of the Tarot
Examine the earliest written interpretations of the Tarot Trumps and Minor suits.
Gain insight into how these early writings shaped the symbolic understanding of the Tarot.
Robert M. Place is the designer and illustrator of over twenty Tarot and oracle decks, including the internationally acclaimed Alchemical Tarot, The Angels Tarot, The Marziano Tarot, The Tarot of the Saints, The Buddha Tarot, The Vampire Tarot, The Tarot of the Sevenfold Mystery, The Tarot of the Alchemical Magnum Opus, The Alchemical Tarot of Marseille, The Hermes Playing Card Oracle, An Ukiyo-e Lenormand (inspired by Japanese culture), The Raziel Tarot, and The Burning Serpent Oracle (the latter two in collaboration with Tarot expert Rachel Pollack). In addition to writing books to accompany his decks, he is the author of The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination, praised by Booklist as “possibly the best book ever written on Tarot.” Other works include Astrology and Divination, Magic and Alchemy, Shamanism, Alchemy and the Tarot, and The Tarot, Magic, Alchemy, Hermeticism, and Neoplatonism.
Place curated the "The Fools' Journey" exhibition of Tarot art at the LA Craft and Folk-Art Museum in 2010 and authored the accompanying catalog. In 2007, he was a guest of honor at the opening of the Tarot Museum in Riola, Italy. His Facsimile Historic Italian Tarot is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he regularly lectures on their card collection. He has appeared on the BBC, A&E, the Discovery Channel, and the Learning Channel, and has taught and lectured extensively across the U.S. and on five continents. His latest work, The First Occult Tarot, is a deck and book based on descriptions written in 1781 by the Comte de Mellet, the first occult author to write about a Tarot deck.
Date: Tuesdays January 21, 28, 4.
Time: 7pm - 9pm EST
Admission: $120 ($100 for Patreon Members). To become a member, click here.
The course will take place via Zoom, offering a convenient and interactive experience. All classes will be recorded to accommodate participants with different schedules. Recordings will be available to all ticket holders, allowing you to access the course material at your convenience.
I have found that when I am reading Tarot cards they work best when I have made friends with the figures on the cards, so that the images speak to me. To make friends, it is essential that I understand the symbols on the cards as the artists who first created them intended.
According to Robert Place, Tarot cards often work best when a connection is established with the figures on the cards. Befriending them, so to speak, allows the images to communicate more clearly. To build this connection, it is essential to understand the symbols on the cards as they were originally intended by the artists who created them.
Many occultists, while creating spurious histories for the Tarot, also developed intricate systems of associations for the cards, linking them to Hebrew letters, planets, astrological signs, and obscure sets of esoteric meanings. At their most extreme, these associations transformed the Tarot into a labyrinth of secret symbols or codes, often disconnected from the artwork itself.
However, historical evidence clearly shows that the Tarot was created by Renaissance artists in the 1400s, and the illustrations directly reflect the artistic and cultural influences of that period. By studying this history and comparing Tarot images to other works of art from the same era, we can begin to understand the Tarot trumps as the artists who created them originally intended. This approach brings us closer to the true essence of the cards, rooted in their authentic artistic and historical context.
In this three-part class, we will do just that. We’ll explore historic examples of Tarot cards alongside related Renaissance art, uncovering the rich visual and symbolic connections. We’ll also examine the earliest written interpretations of the symbolism, learning to understand the Tarot’s imagery as profound works of art, deeply rooted in history and mystical philosophy. This course lays a crucial foundation for all my future teachings, offering a deeper, more authentic understanding of Tarot. Recordings will be made available indefinitely, ensuring lasting access to this essential material.
Class One: The Structure of the Tarot Trumps
Explore the connection between the Tarot Trumps and the Renaissance Triumphal parade.
Learn about the three groups of seven cards, each corresponding to one of the three parts of the Platonic soul.
Compare the Fool and the first seven Trumps to related Renaissance artworks.
Class Two: The Remaining Trumps in Historical Context
Analyze the remaining Tarot Trumps by relating them to Renaissance art.
Place the cards in their historical and cultural context, deepening the understanding of their symbolism.
Class Three: Early Written Interpretations of the Tarot
Examine the earliest written interpretations of the Tarot Trumps and Minor suits.
Gain insight into how these early writings shaped the symbolic understanding of the Tarot.
Robert M. Place is the designer and illustrator of over twenty Tarot and oracle decks, including the internationally acclaimed Alchemical Tarot, The Angels Tarot, The Marziano Tarot, The Tarot of the Saints, The Buddha Tarot, The Vampire Tarot, The Tarot of the Sevenfold Mystery, The Tarot of the Alchemical Magnum Opus, The Alchemical Tarot of Marseille, The Hermes Playing Card Oracle, An Ukiyo-e Lenormand (inspired by Japanese culture), The Raziel Tarot, and The Burning Serpent Oracle (the latter two in collaboration with Tarot expert Rachel Pollack). In addition to writing books to accompany his decks, he is the author of The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination, praised by Booklist as “possibly the best book ever written on Tarot.” Other works include Astrology and Divination, Magic and Alchemy, Shamanism, Alchemy and the Tarot, and The Tarot, Magic, Alchemy, Hermeticism, and Neoplatonism.
Place curated the "The Fools' Journey" exhibition of Tarot art at the LA Craft and Folk-Art Museum in 2010 and authored the accompanying catalog. In 2007, he was a guest of honor at the opening of the Tarot Museum in Riola, Italy. His Facsimile Historic Italian Tarot is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he regularly lectures on their card collection. He has appeared on the BBC, A&E, the Discovery Channel, and the Learning Channel, and has taught and lectured extensively across the U.S. and on five continents. His latest work, The First Occult Tarot, is a deck and book based on descriptions written in 1781 by the Comte de Mellet, the first occult author to write about a Tarot deck.
Date: Tuesdays January 21, 28, 4.
Time: 7pm - 9pm EST
Admission: $120 ($100 for Patreon Members). To become a member, click here.
The course will take place via Zoom, offering a convenient and interactive experience. All classes will be recorded to accommodate participants with different schedules. Recordings will be available to all ticket holders, allowing you to access the course material at your convenience.
I have found that when I am reading Tarot cards they work best when I have made friends with the figures on the cards, so that the images speak to me. To make friends, it is essential that I understand the symbols on the cards as the artists who first created them intended.
According to Robert Place, Tarot cards often work best when a connection is established with the figures on the cards. Befriending them, so to speak, allows the images to communicate more clearly. To build this connection, it is essential to understand the symbols on the cards as they were originally intended by the artists who created them.
Many occultists, while creating spurious histories for the Tarot, also developed intricate systems of associations for the cards, linking them to Hebrew letters, planets, astrological signs, and obscure sets of esoteric meanings. At their most extreme, these associations transformed the Tarot into a labyrinth of secret symbols or codes, often disconnected from the artwork itself.
However, historical evidence clearly shows that the Tarot was created by Renaissance artists in the 1400s, and the illustrations directly reflect the artistic and cultural influences of that period. By studying this history and comparing Tarot images to other works of art from the same era, we can begin to understand the Tarot trumps as the artists who created them originally intended. This approach brings us closer to the true essence of the cards, rooted in their authentic artistic and historical context.
In this three-part class, we will do just that. We’ll explore historic examples of Tarot cards alongside related Renaissance art, uncovering the rich visual and symbolic connections. We’ll also examine the earliest written interpretations of the symbolism, learning to understand the Tarot’s imagery as profound works of art, deeply rooted in history and mystical philosophy. This course lays a crucial foundation for all my future teachings, offering a deeper, more authentic understanding of Tarot. Recordings will be made available indefinitely, ensuring lasting access to this essential material.
Class One: The Structure of the Tarot Trumps
Explore the connection between the Tarot Trumps and the Renaissance Triumphal parade.
Learn about the three groups of seven cards, each corresponding to one of the three parts of the Platonic soul.
Compare the Fool and the first seven Trumps to related Renaissance artworks.
Class Two: The Remaining Trumps in Historical Context
Analyze the remaining Tarot Trumps by relating them to Renaissance art.
Place the cards in their historical and cultural context, deepening the understanding of their symbolism.
Class Three: Early Written Interpretations of the Tarot
Examine the earliest written interpretations of the Tarot Trumps and Minor suits.
Gain insight into how these early writings shaped the symbolic understanding of the Tarot.
Robert M. Place is the designer and illustrator of over twenty Tarot and oracle decks, including the internationally acclaimed Alchemical Tarot, The Angels Tarot, The Marziano Tarot, The Tarot of the Saints, The Buddha Tarot, The Vampire Tarot, The Tarot of the Sevenfold Mystery, The Tarot of the Alchemical Magnum Opus, The Alchemical Tarot of Marseille, The Hermes Playing Card Oracle, An Ukiyo-e Lenormand (inspired by Japanese culture), The Raziel Tarot, and The Burning Serpent Oracle (the latter two in collaboration with Tarot expert Rachel Pollack). In addition to writing books to accompany his decks, he is the author of The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination, praised by Booklist as “possibly the best book ever written on Tarot.” Other works include Astrology and Divination, Magic and Alchemy, Shamanism, Alchemy and the Tarot, and The Tarot, Magic, Alchemy, Hermeticism, and Neoplatonism.
Place curated the "The Fools' Journey" exhibition of Tarot art at the LA Craft and Folk-Art Museum in 2010 and authored the accompanying catalog. In 2007, he was a guest of honor at the opening of the Tarot Museum in Riola, Italy. His Facsimile Historic Italian Tarot is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he regularly lectures on their card collection. He has appeared on the BBC, A&E, the Discovery Channel, and the Learning Channel, and has taught and lectured extensively across the U.S. and on five continents. His latest work, The First Occult Tarot, is a deck and book based on descriptions written in 1781 by the Comte de Mellet, the first occult author to write about a Tarot deck.