As I seem to be on an esoteric path at the moment, I will go with the flow.

Here is another wonderful article. This one is by A S Volkov and it studies the Visconti-Sforza Tarot Cards.

As there is tons of info here (and the Googlation from Russian to English needs lots of editing by moi!), I will post each card of the Major Arcana separately over the next few days.

Anyone interested in 14th/15th century Europe, the Gospels and Hidden History, but not in the Tarot, will find quite a few useful tidbits to mull over :o)

 

Decoding the horoscope of the Zodiac in the cards of the Major Arcana Tarot 
“Visconti – Sforza” “Pierpont Morgan – Bergamo” – Zodiac “WS” 
A brief history of the Tarot cards “Visconti – Sforza”

A.S. Volkov

 

The first, extant Tarot cards (Elder and Minor Arcana) are believed to have been drawn in Northern Italy in the 15th century. Visconti – Sforza is the collective name of the expensive Tarocchi gift cards, which were drawn by hand on significant events in the life of the 15th-century Milan rulers.

Visconti were the rulers of Milan from the end of the XIII century. Filippo Maria Visconti (Italian Filippo Maria Visconti; September 23, 1392 – August 13, 1447) – Duke of Milan in 1412-1447. The last representative of the Visconti family in the male line.

Sforza (Sforza) is a dynasty of the dukes of Milan, a famous Italian family name that played a large role in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was founded by Muzio Attendolo, the son of a peasant from Romagna, who received the nickname Sforza (from Italian. Sforzare – to overcome by force) in 1387. In early youth, he joined the team of Alberto de Barbian, one of the founders of condottie (mercenary military service), distinguished himself by courage and himself became the leader of the mercenary army. Muzio Attendolo fought on the side of Visconti in one of the internecine wars. Since 1419, his illegitimate son, Francesco Sforza, fought with him, who won fame for being able to bend metal bars with his bare hands. After the death of Muzio Attendolo in 1424, his nickname, by decree of Queen Joanna II of Naples, received the status of the inherited family name. As a condottiere (Soldier of Fortune), he was succeeded by his son Francesco, who served alternately to Milan, Venice and Florence. Francesco Sforza, in 1432, was engaged to Bianca Maria Visconti, the illegitimate daughter of the third, last Duke of Milan, Filippo Visconti, and in 1441 married her. Thus, two surnames were related, giving the name to the oldest known card. In 1447, Duke Filippo died, leaving no direct heir. In 1450, Francesco Sforza seized Milan by cunning and violence, citing the rights of his wife Bianca Maria. Francesco Sforza ruled Milan for fifteen years with the title of duke and died, as is believed, either in 1462 or 1466.

Historical information about Francesco Sforza, the founder of the Milan branch of the Sforza dynasty, is available athttps://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franchesko_I_Sforza .

Historical information about Filippo Maria Visconti, the last Duke of Milan from the Visconti dynasty, is available athttps://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filippo_Mariya_Visconti.

The researchers suggest that Pierpont-Morgan Bergamo Visconti-Sforza Pierpont Morgan-Bergamo (also known as the Colleoni-Baglioni deck), the most complete of the isolated ancient Tarokki decks, preserved to our times, was ordered by the artist on the occasion the coronation of Francesco Visconti-Sforza (1450) or in honor of the 10th anniversary of the wedding of Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti (1451).

Maps “Visconti – Sforza” is currently known 271, and by their size, manner of execution, etc., they are divided into 15 groups. In the largest group there are 74 cards, and this is almost the full Tarokki deck. Only four cards are missing: “Devil”, “Towers” ​​from the Major Arcana, as well as “Knight of Coins” and “Troika of Swords” from the Minor Arcana. Currently this deck is stored in three different collections: 35 cards in the Pierpont Morgan Library (New York), 26 cards in the Carrara Academy (Bergamo, Italy) and 13 cards in the Colleoni family, in the same Bergamo. Therefore, it is called “Pierpont Morgan – Bergamo” .

Historians know that the “Devil” and “The Tower” cards are not preserved in any of the fifteen groups of the Visconti – Sforza maps.

Francesco Sforza. Bonifacio Bembo  (circa 1460, Pinacoteca Brera, Milan) (image taken from the Internet)	Bianca Maria Visconti. Bonifacio Bembo  (circa 1460, Pinacoteca Brera, Milan) (image taken from the Internet)

 

In another group there are 67 cards, and all of them are stored in the Cary Collection at Yale University (USA), hence the name “Cary-Yale” “Cary-Yale Visconti-Sforza” (also known as the “Visconti di Modrone” deck). In other groups, even less cards; five groups consist of just one card each. It is assumed that small groups are not the remnants of complete decks, but samples that artists showed to their potential customers. Each group has its own conditional name; As a rule, the name indicates the collection in which the cards are currently located.

In the 20th century, the Pierpont Morgan-Bergamo and Carey-Yale decks were released in several reprints, for which the Italian artist Luigi Scapini drew the missing cards. Images of these maps are available at:https://plus.google.com/photos/112868448452435024861/albums/5804288693569471905?banner=pwa .

The deck was also produced in a restored version (also with recreated missing cards). The restoration was carried out by Atanas Atanassov. Images of these maps are available on the website: http://rozamira-tarot.ru/tarot/v/taro-viskonti-sfortsa-visconti-sforza-pierpont-morgan-tarot.html.

The study of images on the maps of the Major Arcana Tarot
“Visconti – Sforza” “Pierpont Morgan – Bergamo”

The study will only concern the Major Arcana Tarot deck “Pierpont Morgan – Bergamo.” In the “Pierpont Morgan – Bergamo”deck , the cards are not numbered and not signed. Historians do not know exactly in what sequence Arcanas Tarocchi in Italy of the XV century, it is not even known whether these Elder Arcana were 22 (there are usually 78 cards in the Tarot deck), as in classical French Tarot. This is one of

riddles associated with the deck of Visconti – Sforza. All decks are clearly incomplete, and in the absence of numbering of trumps nothing can be said for sure about their number. In addition, researchers of the Tarpon “Perpont Morgan – Bergamo” cards noticed that the pattern of the golden background of the “World” card, the only one in the deck, was a straight square grid.

In this paper, we will adhere to a special order of studying images on the Tarcon “Visconti – Sforza” maps of “Pierpont Morgan – Bergamo”. After a preliminary review of the images, the maps were divided into three groups. The first group, conditionally called Astronomy, from 12 maps includes maps with images, which presumably contain characteristic symbols of constellations or planets, including the Sun and the Moon. It includes the cards: “Moderation”, “Sun”, “Death”, “Star”, “Lovers”, “Tower”, “Strength”, “Moon”, “Justice”, “Court”, “Jester”, ” The Devil. The second group, conditionally called the Fortune group, from 4 cards included cards with images, which presumably have characteristic symbols associated with the “Wheel of Fortune” card and characters depicted on it. It includes: “Magician”, “Wheel of Fortune”, “Hanged Man”, “Hermit”. The third group, conditionally called the Power group, of 5 cards included cards with images, on which there is supposedly a characteristic symbolism associated with the “Emperor” card, all of them are depicted sitting on a hexagonal platform of golden color. It includes: “Emperor”, “Empress”, “High Priest”, “High Priestess”, “Chariot”. The images in the second and third groups of cards most likely do not contain the information necessary for deciphering the Zodiac with the date, they can carry mythological, secular and Gospel symbols. In the names of the Major Arcana, we will stick to the French original source – Marseille Tarot. With a few exceptions, we will adhere to this order of study maps. First, the “Devil” and “The Tower” cards will be investigated last, after the Zodiac calculations with the date, since they are painted by contemporary artist Luigi Scapini for a nonexistent original (judging by the image, there are serious doubts in this), they can introduce errors in the interpretation and calculations. Secondly, we will postpone the analysis of the “World” map to the very end due to the difference, compared to all other cards, in the background hatching pattern.

And so the order of consideration of the Major Arcana Tarot cards “Visconti-Sforza” “Pierpont Morgan – Bergamo” will be as follows: “Moderation”, “Sun”, “Death”, “Star”, “Lovers”, “Tower”, “Power”, “Moon”, “Justice”, “Court”, “Jester”, “Magician”, Wheel of Fortune “,” The Hanged Man “,” Hermit “,” Emperor “,” Empress “,” High Priest “,” High Priest “, “Chariot”, “Peace”, “Devil” and “Tower”.

In the study, for convenience of comparison, the ancient and reprint (updated) image of each Visconti-Sforza Tarot of the First Arcanum “Perpont Morgan-Bergamo” will be given at the same time .

During the study, the images of the Major Arcana will be briefly described. We will pay attention only to those features of the Gospel plots, Zodiacal and astronomical images that will help us in deciphering the date of the Zodiac. Not all the “Perpont Morgan – Bergamo”cards have one or another religious, astronomical symbolism or elements of the horoscope. Therefore, I will provide each section dedicated to a certain Elder Arcane of Tarot cards with a preliminary comment like: “This card contains astronomical and Gospel symbols, but does not contain elements of a horoscope.