Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg

Description

The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg is unique in that it features the rare art of Yury Shakov who perfected the skill of Russian Miniature Lacquer Painting. The paintings were done to exact size, some requiring a brush with one single hair. This was Yukov’s final work of art, as he died while finishing it. It blends the imagery of Russian history and culture with traditional tarot meanings. Each card contains a vibrantly coloured miniature painting set on black fields framed within oval borders.

Russian Lacquer Painting developed from the art of icon painting, which came to an end with the collapse of Imperial Russia. The Orthodox Icon painters, who previously had been employed by supplying not only churches but people’s homes, needed a way to make a living. Thus, the craft of making papier-mâché decorative boxes and panels developed, the items were lacquered and then hand painted by the artists, often depicting scenes from Slavic folktales and folklore.

This stunning 78-card Tarot deck reflects not only the superb style and artistic expertise of both artists, but also Yury Shakov’s original interpretations of the tarot, presenting traditional tarot archetypes through the imagery of Russian history and culture. The miniature paintings in vivid colors are set on black fields framed within oval borders, reminiscent of Imperial Fabergé eggs, and the Orthodox Icons of Russia and Eastern Europe.

About the Primary Artist: Born in Baku, Azerbajian in 1937, Yury Shakov studied art in Moscow and Palekh. His artworks are owned by many private collections and by the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.