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Viewing instructions: Click the "Read More" button to view extensive photographs and additional text. You will be able to click to zoom in on all photos except the slideshows. This means you can look at many of the cards in exceptional detail.
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Who was Cagliostro and why does this deck carry his name? Alessandro Cagliostro, born in 1743 as Giuseppe Balsamo in Palermo (Sicily) was an adventurer much involved with the occult as it was practiced in the second half of the 18th century. Ultimately it cost him his life. He was sentenced to death in Rome in 1791 because he tried to establish a masonic lodge in the same city. The death sentence was changed by the pope into a life sentence and he finally died in the fortress of San Leo in 1795. As to why his name is associated to these cards in not entirely clear, but the fact that the Italian artist Bruno Sigon was much inspired by Papus and Etteilla explains a lot. 
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Il Tarocco di Amerigo Folchi was published by Italcards, Bologna (Italy) in 1991. The cards of course, are designed by Americo Folchi. The designer gave the deck his own name since his intention was to create a set of cards with no references to anything since many decks of his hands refer to a specific theme. Amerigo Folchi wanted to design a deck that could only be assigned to him. In that, he succeeded.  Il Tarocco di Colombo was published by Italcards, Bologna (Italy) in 1991. The cards are designed by Americo Folchi who must have a thing for travelling as several of the decks designed by him show images of faraway places or mysterious places. The beautifully designed cards of Il Tarocco di Colombo show images of the travels of Columbus. These images show the fear as well as the curiosity of the sailors of those days and the way Columbus sought to overcome the myths surrounding the New World, the barriers between man and the Ocean, the Atlantic abyss, almost monstrous in its boundlessness.  Il Tarocco del Mondo Nuovo was published by Italcards, Bologna (Italy) in 1991. The cards are designed by Americo Folchi and show the voyages to Americas by European seafarers and explorers. The cards of the major arcana feature different theme’s in regard to the ‘new findings’ the explorer’s way back then discovered during their adventurous voyages. So be prepared for wild native animals, weird pottery, and images of ancient (sea)maps.  Here’s another deck published by Italcards, Bologna (Italy). These cards were published in 1988. The cards are designed by Americo Folchi and show quite realistic images inspired by Greek mythological themes. Anyone who read the Iliad or who has any (basic) knowledge of Greek mythology will recognize the images offered as well as their importance for Human Kind.  |