Oh, dear...Bensancon!

[katrinka]

I don't need this. I have plenty of TdM-type decks.
OTOH, I don't have a Besancon. And Mr. Valenza probably thinks I've forgotten him, since I haven't ordered anything in a good while.

He shows incredible restraint here. Nothing is changed, no demons, banana boobs or bat wings. Just Bensancon:

 

https://deviantmooninc.com/products/the-resurrected-kirchnerbesancon-tarot-1850?variant=32335932391495&goal=0_4f694d0d2d-38b75df2e7-202162773&mc_cid=38b75df2e7&mc_eid=44e147761a

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by katrinka

[gregory]

Yeah.... Preordered....

 

And I DO have Besançons - a full size and a mini, from Meneghello - Benois. But even so...

[katrinka]

22 minutes ago, gregory said:

But even so...

I love Il Meneghello, but I can't just grab & riffle, we have to be careful with those.
This one's a workhorse.

[gregory]

A deck is to be USED. (Except that diabolical one I have from Shandra McNeil, with so much gold paint on that it never dried and I have to store it with tissue between the cards.) 

 

 

By the way you might like to spell check your header... I know you know; I assume predictive text or something...

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

5" cards. Wow. 

[gregory]

Same as Thoth full size !

[Guest]

Gorgeous!! Getting in line 🙂

[Decan]

Interesting. I just saw online that in the Besançon Tarot deck the Pope is Jupiter and the Female Pope is Junon, that's a particularity. This likely comes because of the French revolution and a reject of religion I guess?

Edited July 15, 2020 by Decan

[katrinka]

I always heard that it was so as not to offend religious people. But your idea makes more sense, in a way. These old cardmakers never struck me as the type to walk on eggshells.

[Decan]

We are a catholic country but to offend religious people wouldn’t be too problematic here. There is a strong attachment to secularism (more than to religion); maybe this comes from the Revolution (with the king not separated from the church in old time). Well, just a possibility, I’m not sure actually.

This or there was some craze about mythology when the Besançon was drawn.

[katrinka]

The Grand Jeu and the Petit Oracle des Dames were around then. They both feature a good amount of mythology, especially the Jeu.
France is still pretty secular, isn't it?

[Decan]

8 minutes ago, katrinka said:

France is still pretty secular, isn't it?

Yes, and in some way oddly because the countries around are likely less secular than us. Spain and Italy seem more attached to religious values in their culture I think.

I don't know what happened here.

Otherwise, yes, we can find mythology in other decks, indeed!

[gregory]

Jupiter and Junon are also on the 1JJ Swiss deck, don't forget. That pack owes its name to this fact, the "1" being a number within the product line and "JJ" the replacement of 2 trumps by Juno and Jupiter (see below).

 

This apparently continued a tradition that began with the Tarot de Besancon. The decks were sold in an area that contained both zealous Catholics and zealous Protestants, who didn't want a Pope or a Papess for rather different reasons. Not so much a secular/religious things as the desire to sell to EVERYONE !

[Decan]

25 minutes ago, gregory said:

This apparently continued a tradition that began with the Tarot de Besancon. The decks were sold in an area that contained both zealous Catholics and zealous Protestants, who didn't want a Pope or a Papess for rather different reasons. Not so much a secular/religious things as the desire to sell to EVERYONE !

Okay, the businesslike approach then, yes it makes sense!

[katrinka]

Speaking of business, The Bensancons are shipping...

[Decan]

Let us now your first impressions when it will arrive! 🙂

[katrinka]

Of course!
I love a good workhorse reproduction. And...I'm not going to build my hopes up overmuch, but the photos at the website look as if the finish might be linen... 🍾