Tarot cards first reached Europe in the late 14th century having apparently been imported from Egypt. They were used purely for gaming purposes and didn't become associated with fortune telling until the 18th cenury. Due to the expense of producing the first cards (they had to be hand-painted) there was considerable variation in the number of cards in a set but this now seems to have been standardised as 78 cards:
This particular set originated with an idea by Julie Bell in, according to an interview, 2001. As a private venture the work was unpaid so progress was quite slow, paintings being produced as and when time permitted. Eventually they managed to get Heavy Metal interested and so, starting with the November 2007 edition, they began publishing three paintings per regular issue. Julie's sons Anthony and David Palumbo were also brought on board, the theory being that four artists would make life easier should any of them become exceptionally busy. Personally, I think this is a case of too may cooks spoiling the broth – they are all respected artists but the problem is that their own distinctive styles have resulted in a lack of cohesion between the designs of the various paintings.
The table immediately below shows the order in which the cards were published. The titles used are those shown on the paintings inclusive of any spelling errors (which I have assumed to be intentional 'archaic' spellings.) The letters in brackets indicate the artist where this was not boris – I'm sure you can work out which is which! See further below for a second table showing the cards ordered by suit etc. Sadly only 66 paintings were completed. Reasons for termination of the series are not given but, significantly, I notice that some of the cards utilise existing artwork which suggests that the artists became too busy to continue.
Finally, I have learned that it had been hoped to publish the paintings as a book and, of course, a set of Tarot cards. Since the series has not been completed this has not come about though it remains a future possibility if the remaining paintings are completed…
November 2007 | ||
Death | The Queen of Swords (DP) | The Moon (JB) |
January 2008 | ||
Wheel of Change (JB) | The Four of Swords (DP) | Queen of Wands |
March 2008 | ||
The Emperor (JB) | Two of Swords (AP) | Four of Pentacles |
May 2008 | ||
Seven of Cups (JB) | Queen of Pentacles (AP) | The Hermit (DP) |
July 2008 | ||
The Devil (JB) | Prince of Swords (AP) | Nine of Wands |
September 2008 | ||
The Empress | The Star (AP) | Knight of Cups (DP) |
November 2008 | ||
Queen of Cups (JB) | Four of Wands (AP) | Eight of Swords (DP) |
January 2009 | ||
Nine of Pentacles (JB) | King of Swords | Page of Wands (AP) |
March 2009 | ||
Six of Cups (AP) | Three of Swords (JB) | Page of Cups (DP) |
May 2009 | ||
Ace of Wands | Ace of Cups (JB) | Ace of Pentacles (DP) |
July 2009 | ||
Five of Wands | Knight of Pentacles (DP) | Three of Cups (AP) |
September 2009 | ||
The Magician | Seven of Wands (AP) | Page of Swords (JB) |
November 2009 | ||
Two of Wands (DP) | Eight of Cups | Ace of Swords (AP) |
January 2010 | ||
Two of Pentacles (JB) | Six of Wands | King of Wands (JB) |
March 2010 | ||
Page of Pentacles | Five of Cups (DP) | Eight of Pentacles (AP) |
May 2010 | ||
The Lovers (JB) | Six of Swords | Three of Wands (DP) |
July 2010 | ||
Four of Cups (JB) | Two of Cups | Five of Swords (AP) |
September 2010 | ||
Eight of Wands (JB) | Justice | Transcendance (DP) |
November 2010 | ||
Judgement (JB) | The Fool (JB) | The High Priestess (JB) |
January 2011 | ||
Six of Pentacles (JB) | Three of Pentacles | Ten of Swords (DP) |
March 2011 | ||
Four of Swords (JB) | Queen of Cups (JB) | The Tower (DP) |
May 2011 | ||
The Hanged Man (DP) | The World (AP) | Knight of Rods (sic) (AP) |
When viewed as sets you can see which cards are missing. In addition, you can see that there seems to have been a slight lack of co-ordination in that there are a couple of duplicated cards and that a few equivalent cards are included: the court cards include either a Page or a Knight but NOT both! Special mention needs to be made regarding the Transcendance (sic) card which is not a traditional card and, it seems to me, is equivalent to the Judgement card.
Major Arcana: Trumps & The Fool | ||
I The Magician | II The High Priestess (JB) | III The Empress |
IV The Emperor (JB) | V The Hierophant | VI The Lovers (JB) |
VII The Chariot | VIII Strength | IX The Hermit (DP) |
X Wheel of Change (JB) | XI Justice | XII The Hanged Man (DP) |
XIII Death | XIV Temperance | XV The Devil (JB) |
XVI The Tower (DP) | XVII The Star (AP) | XVIII The Moon (JB) |
XIX The Sun | XX Judgement (JB) | XX Transcendance (DP) |
XXI The World (AP) | The Fool (JB) | |
Minor Arcana: Cups | ||
Ace of Cups (JB) | Two of Cups | Three of Cups (AP) |
Four of Cups (JB) | Five of Cups (DP) | Six of Cups (AP) |
Seven of Cups (JB) | Eight of Cups | Nine of Cups |
Ten of Cups | Page of Cups (DP) | Knight of Cups (DP) |
Prince of Cups | Queen of Cups (JB) | Queen of Cups (JB) |
King of Cups | ||
Minor Arcana: Pentacles | ||
Ace of Pentacles (DP) | Two of Pentacles (JB) | Three of Pentacles |
Four of Pentacles | Five of Pentacles | Six of Pentacles (JB) |
Seven of Pentacles | Eight of Pentacles (AP) | Nine of Pentacles (JB) |
Ten of Pentacles | Page of Pentacles | Knight of Pentacles (DP) |
Prince of Pentacles | Queen of Pentacles (AP) | King of Pentacles |
Minor Arcana: Swords | ||
Ace of Swords (AP) | Two of Swords (AP) | Three of Swords (JB) |
Four of Swords (DP) | Four of Swords (JB) | Five of Swords (AP) |
Six of Swords | Seven of Swords | Eight of Swords (DP) |
Nine of Swords | Ten of Swords (DP) | Page of Swords (JB) |
Prince of Swords (AP) | Queen of Swords (DP) | King of Swords |
Minor Arcana: Wands | ||
Ace of Wands | Two of Wands (DP) | Three of Wands (DP) |
Four of Wands (AP) | Five of Wands | Six of Wands |
Seven of Wands (AP) | Eight of Wands (JB) | Nine of Wands |
Ten of Wands | Page of Wands (AP) | Knight of Rods (sic) (AP) |
Prince of Wands | Queen of Wands | King of Wands (JB) |