Elisabetta Cassari appreciation thread

[BrightEye]

Long time no post from me, but that doesn't mean that I don't think about Tarot. On the contrary, I'm gearing up to make a full inventory of my collection very soon. In light of this - and also as a result of my recently discovered interest in puppet-making and puppet theatre - I'm turning my mind to the work of Elisabetta Cassari. Incidentally, Cassari had an interest in puppet theatre, as per this Manteia article https://www.arnellart.com/manteia/articles/ar01-cassari.htm, and made puppets (?). They also feature in her Tarot drawings. I gather she published three decks:`Solleone Tarot` (1983), `Gli Arcani di Elisabetta` (1986) and `Future Solleone Tarot` (1987). And she worked on others that were not published, 'The Alphabetical Tarot' and a Sibilla deck. 

 

Looking for like-minded enthusiasts who may have more information on Cassari's work.

[gregory]

WELL - I have all three - my Gli Arcani is an LE handpainted one ! They are gorgeous and gruesome.

[BrightEye]

3 minutes ago, gregory said:

WELL - I have all three - my Gli Arcani is an LE handpainted one ! They are gorgeous and gruesome.

I'd like to know more about the Gli Arcani. I have the other two and love them, despite their gruesome nature.

 

The Manteia essay features this image: https://www.arnellart.com/manteia/articles/ar01-cassari-popup.htm Are these cards from an existing deck?

[gregory]

WELL - it cost me £75 in 1986 - I think the most expensive deck I had ever acquired at that time.  It is one of the painted ones.

 

My database says:

 

Packaged in cork box.  Quasi-mediaeval scenes depicted are often gruesome and violent.  Traditional symbolism, but with elements of European story-telling and emphasis on reversal and pessimism.

 

I know she gave up painting them after the first few as she got fed up - so I am VERY lucky to have one of those.

https://www.alchemywebsite.com/tarot/database/Italian/record24.html

 

I have never seen the images you link except on Arnell's site. If they are from a completed deck, it will be one of the unpublished ones, I think. As Jensen says: 

 

Recently another full set of majors were painted in acrylics on a large cardboard, centered around another (likely) self-portrait of the artist. Elisabetta generously allowed this illustration to be reproduced as a full color page with this article (see the end of this article).

[BrightEye]

 

I suspect these are images of her Sibilla deck. She has a Facebook account, which is where the images are posted. This was in 2012. She hasn't been active there since 2013.  

Edited August 13 by BrightEye

[gregory]

I have to say I thought she was dead. I'm glad that she - well, wasn't after the date I thought she was, as you might say !

[BrightEye]

When was she supposed to have died? 

[gregory]

I have no idea - it was a while ago and I thought I saw it somewhere. I may have imagined it ! Indeed it seems I must have.

[DanielJUK]

Unfortunately I can't link the thread here from a Tarot History community, but she has been apparently missing from the tarot world since 1988 after her last deck was published the year before and Il Solleone di Vito Arienti went out of business. Some watercolours appeared for sale, do you think that is what @BrightEye found? However it's disputed she was selling them herself and someone was using her name, there was a website as well (now a dead link) selling them but the tarot community is suspicious of them. No one could contact her or get a direct answer from her. They were probably made by her in the 80's but who was selling them? The whole thing is a mystery.

[gregory]

Those aren't what BrightEye meant, I am certain sure. If they were ever on the forum mentioned in those posts, it is easy enough to get hold of the owner - but BrightEye knows this too . There is a website on That Place, which is on hold; the avatar is one I know well, so if it was him offering them, it would have been for real. But it was ages ago now.

[BrightEye]

The FB image I link to in my earlier post is from Cassari's own personal account. She posted a load of images of her artwork in February 2012 from which the above was taken. I wasn't aware that her work was being sold illegally (?). I was looking for a place where I might see her entire work, non-Tarot included, especially her puppet theatre work. I'm interested in how (if) her Tarot and non-Tarot work are related. That Manteia article and Cassari's on FB seem to be the best places.