The Visconti-Sforza Tarot: Traveling through the medieval myths to the art of the Renaissance - Max Kahl, Midirath Arianrhod

This is one of the oldest and most precious Tarots preserved. It has archaic elements and very careful drawings, as well as the colors and the design in general.
It was painted for one of the most important and famous families in Italy.
The allegorical representation of the concepts collected by the Arcana is very close to the Christian tradition and the religious thought it contains, as can be seen, for example, in the representation of the Theological virtues
in some of the cards.
This work was made shortly after 1450 by order of the new Lord of Milan, Francesco Sforza (1466), who had risen to power shortly after his marriage to Bianca Maria Visconti, Duke Filippo's natural daughter.

The play of light caused by the flash of gold facilitates the Reader's intuition and suggestion, each time giving new nuances to the cards. The refined designs, the delicacy of the colors and the historical motifs embellish and enrich the cards. Many of the characters characters have very elegant aspects, like the nobles of the time.
The Arcana of this Tarot reflects the Imaginary of the Italian Renaissance: an era far away in time, but close in terms of culture, characterized by a new appreciation of the arts, of Philosophy and of man.

The cards were hand-painted in bright colors and then covered with a very thin layer of gold that was worked by hand with geometric and symbolic motifs: the twenty-two Major Arcana are extraordinary.

We can say that they are frescoes of the time that reflect the thought of the Renaissance.