Death
Original Tarot Card
Based on the Visconti-Sforza Card
3.5 x 7"
Watercolor and 23k Gold Leaf on Pasteboard.
This original handmade tarot card is based on the Death card from the Visconti-Sforza deck created in 15th Century Florence, Italy.
The game of Tarocchi, or Tarot, became popular in 15th Century Italy.  Wealthy patrons would have commissioned hand painted decks with elaborate painting and gilding on each of the 78 unique cards. There are only a precious few of these decks still in existence.
 
In modern divination, Death, card number XIII,  is part of the Major Arcana. The card meaning often relates to destruction,  end, mortality.
 
Original Tarot card handmade using historical techniques and materials. The card was handcrafted by making pasteboard from multiple layers of acid-free paper, finished with a paper wrapper, much like the inspiration piece. The design was embellished with 23k genuine gold leaf, the burnished to a high shine and tooled to create the background pattern. Finally, the figures were painted using handmade watercolors.