"The History of Tarot Art: Demystifying the Art and Arcana, Deck by Deck" by Esther Joy Archer and Holly Adams Easley is an exceptional work that unveils the rich tapestry of artistic expression within the world of Tarot. Archer and Easley's meticulous research and deep passion for the subject shine through in this comprehensive guide. The book offers readers a captivating journey through centuries of Tarot decks, providing invaluable insights into their symbolism, evolution, and cultural significance.

What sets this book apart is its meticulous attention to detail. The authors delve deep into the origins of various Tarot decks, offering a wealth of historical context and artistic analysis. The inclusion of high-quality images allows readers to fully appreciate the intricate details and symbolism present in each deck. This visual feast enhances the reader's understanding of the unique artistic choices made by deck creators throughout history.

Archer and Easley's writing is engaging and accessible, making even complex artistic and historical concepts easily digestible. They skillfully navigate through the diverse range of Tarot decks, providing thoughtful commentary and shedding light on the artistic and cultural movements that influenced their creation. The book's structure is well-organized, allowing for a seamless progression from one deck to the next.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved learning about the story of tarot decks and their art. The book also had some great art accompanying the text, which enhanced the reading experience and added more substance to its contents. I loved reading about the past and present of tarot decks, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the art of tarot.

The book is interesting and informative. We get for the most part a good history of each deck including what makes it distinctive and what is the deck's legacy. A bonus is that at the end of each chapter you get "other decks you may like" that may be similar to the featured deck. Additionally, the book is well illustrated with photos and images from decks and other relevant art pieces. As I said, for the most part the book is interesting and informative. It provides some substance in looking at the cards and the deck creators.

I said informative for the most part because the authors have a tendency to insert their snarky commentary and at times very strong opinions on their pet topics. If they like a deck, they gush all over it. If they hate it, like the Thoth Tarot, they spend a lot of a chapter bitching about the deck and its creator. In this example, they really hate Aleister Crowley, and they want to make sure everyone knows it. The authors are podcasters, so the book suffers a bit from what books based on podcasts, blogs, TikTok, etc. tend to suffer: too much informality. That informality detracts from what can be a solid and mostly very good overview of the topic.

Despite the authors most of the book is a good read. A good point they make is about Lady Frida Harris. Just like Pamela Colman Smith is getting more recognition now, Harris is another artist that deserves her day in the sun.
Overall, I liked the, but I would've liked it better without the snark. The facts can speak for themselves. This is still a good selection for public libraries. You can select it as an art book or as a Tarot book. For academic libraries, it may be a good option if you have a strong art and art history collection. Otherwise, it would be an optional selection. For my library, I would get it if a patron requested it. In the end, I am glad I read it as I learned some new things. For many readers, this may be a book to borrow.

4 stars!
I might have a problem… Everytime I see a tarot deck, I want it. I’m still a novice reader, and currently, I only have three decks, but I’ve always been drawn in and enthralled by the art of Tarot decks. From the gothic designs to the cartoony ones, from the simplest to the most intricate, they are all beautiful in their own way.

Obviously, I was captivated by the artwork included in the book (though I noticed that there are cards discussed but not pictured, which seemed a little odd), but there was obviously an immense amount of research that went into the writing of this book.The evolution of the different decks and artwork was really intriguing. This is the perfect book for anyone interested in art, history, or tarot.

I am grateful to Quarto Publishing Group/becker & mayer!, Epic Ink, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The History of Tarot Art.

The History of Tarot Art is a fascinating story of the development of Tarot over time. Those interested in Tarot will be interested to learn more about how Tarot has been used and how the art of Tarot has evolved will find this well worth the time.

Lots of great info on the history of tarot itself as well as the major influential decks (loved the piece on how the "Rider Waite" deck should actually be named after Pamela Colman Smith who illustrated the damn thing!). I just wish there were more photographs.

A well thought out and researched book. The pictures truly made the book as we travelled through time to see how the tarot developed and changed as time went on. I also appreciated that the authors noted speculation, fact and misbeliefs. Overall, an insightful addition to art history buffs and tarot enthusiasts libraries. *I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this!

I wasn’t able to finish the book, but the amount that I was able to read was super interesting, detailed without being overwhelming and very nicely illustrated.

Goes through thirteen decks throughout tarot history and has look at what made that deck (more of history/culture type of information). Gives a recommendation of two decks with each if you do like the deck that is talked about. Which I find nice.

Book Review: The History of Tarot Art - Demystifying the Art and Arcana, Deck by Deck by Holly Adams Easley and Esther Joy Archer.
Genre: Divination, Tarot and Spirituality
Publisher: Epic Ink / Imprint of, Quarto Publishing Group
Release Date: 30th November, 2021

[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.]

*Scroll down for video review*

About the Authors
This beautiful book was created by two authors: Holly Adam Easley and Esther Joy Archer. They are also known as @hollyenchanted and @celestialesther on Instagram.

Esther Joy Archer started working with tarot in her late twenties as a tool for self-empowerment. She is a tarot reader, deck creator, collector and educator. She lives with her husband, dogs and collection of reptiles in South Korea, where she also teaches at an elementary school.

Holly Adams Easley was introduced to tarot by a nun and she too studies, collects and reads tarot cards. She is an academic advisor by day.

The ladies have a weekly podcast called Wildly Tarot which is where inspiration for this book came from.

About the Book
The book comes in a hardback case; it’s beautifully presented. Inside, on the back cover, there are little pockets that contain 24 tarot cards. The blurb on the back sums up everything about what comes with the book:

“Guided by Holly Adams Easley and Esther Joy Archer, hosts of the popular Wildly Tarot podcast, this deluxe collector’s book provides a fresh look at the influence of tarot from its beginnings to today. The elegant slipcase, removable Sola-Busca tarot cards, and illustrated fold-out timeline with important dats in tarot development make this package a must-have for any tarot fan.
The History of Tarot Art shows how tarot morphed from a fiftieth century card game to a popular modern activity. Learn more about the stories behind the art of tarot’s most influential decks, like Rider-Wait-Smith and Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot, as well as the female artists whose work was often overshadowed in their time.
The History of Tarot Art also takes a close look at the Visconti, Sola-Busca, Tarot de Marseille, Aquarian, Morgan-Greer, Motherpeace, Cosmic, Druidcraft, Wild Unknown, and Deviant Moon decks, alongside dozens of contemporary decks. The book also provides tips for doing your own tarot readings and a cheat sheet on the meanings of the Rider-Waite-Smith, Thoth and Tarot de Marseille cards.
Both longtime tarot practitioners and newcomers to the practice are sure to find fascinating new insights in this retrospective.”

My Thoughts
Just looking at the cover of the book made me excited - all the different art styles and depictions of the cards. If you didn’t have a wish list of tarot decks before, then you definitely will after reading this book.

I wasn’t sure how the book was going to be organised at first, but they’ve organised it by the tarot decks they look at. A chapter for each deck. I did think they would look at A LOT of decks, but they have been quite specific in the decks they’ve chosen to focus on. Like it said in the blurb, they are tarot decks that have been influential through-out history. The last chapter focuses on ‘contemporary decks’ which features a lot of tarot decks. As they say, it’s now a lot easier for artists and creators to independently publish their work and tarot decks.

For each deck they have included: the date it was created, where it was created and the creator. This adds a lot to the organisation of the book as it starts with the oldest decks working up to today. You can see how and where tarot developed through history, from Italy and France, in mainland Europe, to England and then they focus on decks created in America. The way it is organised is really great because it allows you to follow tarot, and how it changed and evolved within society; through the context in which the decks were created.

It’s widely believed that tarot, as a card game, originated in Italy, so the Visconti tarot was the first in the book; it is one of the oldest decks, if not the first. I’ve always wanted an Italian tarot deck, because that’s where it is thought to have originated, and I have Italian heritage. Apparently there is not a complete surviving Visconti deck so I’m not sure if it would be possible to get a reproduction of the deck in full? The authors mention that the devil, the tower, the knight of coins and the three of swords are the cards missing to form a complete deck, yet some people have created their own interpretations. It was something I wanted to look in to, but then I moved on to the next deck in the book, the Sola-Busca tarot, and I just loved the art work of that so much more. I was set on finding a reproduction of that deck. See what I mean about a tarot wish list?

Although, as the authors mention in the book the very early decks were most likely created for the card game tarocchi rather than for divinatory purposes. But this brings me onto one of the great things about the book - the history. Now obviously it’s in the title, but they are exploring the history of tarot through the tarot decks they look at. Tarot has a really mysterious history; it’s difficult to pin down and actually determine where it all started. The authors have put together an almost definitive history. I say ‘almost’ definitive because even they admit when there is something that cannot be proven. One of the things I appreciated was their acknowledgement of alternative theories and that there are some things they cannot be hundred percent sure about. If not a definitive history, it is definitely a comprehensive one.

Moving on to the more well known decks they looked at, I loved the way they explored the influence of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. They focused on Pamela Coleman Smith who was of course the artist behind the recognisable images on the tarot cards. They stress how important it is that she gets the recognition she deserves for this tarot deck, because it is her images that have stood the test of time and are still recognised over one hundred years later. I realised while reading this chapter how terrible it is that I still don’t have copy of this deck! (Another one for the wish list.)

One deck that I was particularly interested in reading about was the Motherpeace Tarot. It was one that I had come across previously, but wanted to know more about. I loved the idea of a feminist deck from the eighties. However, there was a lot more to the history of this deck and the art depicted. The authors dealt with some of the problematic elements of this deck really well. They were able to acknowledge and appreciate the significance of the deck within the context in which it was created and released, however they also addressed the problematic aspects of it, such as cultural appropriation and hints of racism that today’s audience would’t be able to look past. Therefore, this was a deck that I originally wanted to add to my collection, but now I don’t think I will. It may be nice to have from a tarot history perspective, but I don’t think it would be one I would be called to use for my own divination. This was one of the occasions where the ‘you might also like’ section came in really handy. After each deck they look at, they feature one or two decks that are similar or may have been influenced by the deck. I was completely drawn to the ‘Dark Days Tarot’ which is a feminist deck. Although it is a more modern deck (not from the 80’s) it really stood out to me. Another for the wish-list.

It was SO great to see The Wild Unknown tarot deck featured. It was my first ever tarot deck; the deck that introduced me to tarot. I remember seeing the images and being so intrigued by it. I, like many other people, felt a connection to the images, and for me it was also the fact that it didn’t have a human component. The images featured animals and other elements from nature. The authors mention in the book, and one of the things I love most about this deck; it is open to personal interpretation. It made me realise how much I love this deck and just how important and influential it has been for contemporary tarot readers.

I hope you can tell at this point that I found the book seriously interesting. It’s not just the history I appreciated, but the detail and depth they go to. Esther and Holly have done some serious research. They explore so much more than the art on the cards. They look at influences such as: family politics, the occult and esoteric and even fashion that tarot has been influenced by and that it has influenced. I really want to share so much of this book with you, but obviously I can’t do that. However, I think that shows how interesting it is - I was fascinated the whole way through!

I feel like the book has deepened my understanding of tarot, not just through the history, but where the art has come from; where it started. We all know the Rider-Waite-Smith deck as a definitive tarot deck. It’s seen as the original; the ultimate in tarot art, but even that was influenced by what came before it. Rider-Waite-Smith was a deck of the early 20th century but it takes inspiration from decks of the 1400’s. It makes you appreciate the art work a lot more knowing the inspiration and original thoughts behind it and I think it will add depth to a lot of tarot readers readings.

Obviously, one of the best things about the book is the tarot artwork and that it collects some of the most important art featured on tarot cards. It is all stunning. Personally, I found that I prefer the more contemporary images and designs, but I understand and appreciate the beauty and detail of the older decks.

In terms of criticism, (you know I hate saying criticism because it sounds so harsh) I would have loved it if it came with a full Sola-Busca deck. I understand there are probably reasons that it didn’t have the full deck, but I feel like it needed a full deck. There are twenty-four cards from it, and that’s nice and all, but I just think, 'what am I going to do with twenty-four cards?' You know? I need a full deck.

I’ve mentioned that I loved all the art and tarot history, but there was a chapter that I didn’t find all that interesting. It was the chapter on the Druidcraft tarot. I’m not sure what it was, maybe that the art style, but the tarot deck just didn’t appeal to me. It didn’t really feel like a particular significant deck to me. I think people will enjoy the chapters about decks that they like, which seems obvious.

Similarly, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the inclusion of the Deviant Moon tarot. I have seen it around a lot, particularly on Instagram. It is definitely a striking deck, but I just don’t like it. In the book the author’s say they have included it as it was a ‘darker’ tarot deck that opened up tarot to people who appreciate more shadowy and macabre things. Which I definitely do! They say it’s a cross between Tim Burton and Salvador Dali. Now, I love Tim Burton, and I love Salvador Dali - but if this is a combination of them both I don’t like it. For me, I think there are better ‘dark’ or more macabre tarot decks that are better. However, that is just a personal preference.

As I mentioned earlier they do offer a quick glimpse of more contemporary tarot decks that have hit the market in recent years, and obviously this is an area that is going to change quickly, therefore this section will not always be up to date. But for me, it is the history that really makes this book.

Towards the end of the book they also include: a timeline, and few cheat sheets for card meanings, information about getting started in tarot reading and tarot spreads. The timeline is a nice addition but I feel like the other bits are not really necessary. I can understand why they may have included them, but if you are interested in tarot reading then books specificallu dedicated to it would be more useful.

Lastly, something I don’t usually mention is, the paper and book itself. It’s all really great quality. The book is big and very sturdy and the paper is great quality. This makes the images of the tarot art so much better. You get to see all the details and vibrant colours.

Final Thoughts
Anyone with an interest in tarot will love this book. If you are a tarot enthusiast or tarot reader, whether reading cards for yourself or others, I would say it’s a must read! It offers so much about the history of tarot and how we read tarot today. It puts in to perspective how far tarot, as a divination practice, has come. It will add another level of depth to your understanding of tarot. Even if you are just looking at the images in the book you can get so much from it.

I love that the author’s reiterate how tarot is not something that is set in stone; it’s a practice that allows interpretation and personal intuition. It is open to everyone; there should be no gatekeeping. So, if you have an interest in tarot, but didn’t feel like you were someone who could read tarot, just know it is for everyone and anyone! You don’t have to have any special skills or knowledge to be able to start or pick it up. This book is definitely a lovely introduction to the history of tarot.

The final thing I will say is how much I loved this book. I read it in one afternoon/evening. I started reading it one afternoon and just wanted to keep reading. I stayed up until after midnight to finish it.

This was actually brilliant! A well-produced, very visual history that expanded and developed my own surface-level knowledge. This talks about Pamela Colman Smith in such a lovely way

I had been wondering how far back in history Tarot went along with what it originally looked like, but I hadn’t done the research to find the answers to my questions. Then I saw this book and knew I had to read it. If you’re a Tarot reader, be aware that you may come out of this book with some new decks sitting on your wishlist. I know I did!

In this book, you will find yourself learning about some of the most influential Tarot decks along with what is known about the creators, why the decks were made, and what inspired them. I found each of these chapters very interesting to read. If I still had my old art professor’s email, I would recommend this book if not gifting it to her because I think she’d love it. It’s also a perfect example of something she always taught: the era and context of a work’s creation is an important piece of learning about said work. I’m now looking at two decks differently after seeing the artwork from an older surviving deck. It certainly adds extra dimension and depth!

It was also interesting to learn how Tarot was once a card game back in the fifteenth century. I wonder how those who were playing that game back in the day would feel if they knew the journey it would eventually take. It was also interesting to see the surviving cards of decks from that time, especially when seeing them compared to one of the most popular decks. One of the most interesting things to see is how the styles changed over time and how decks started being created

Now, this book only includes information that was verified. I like this because false information won’t be spread, even unintentionally. However, there is a section that covers some fake lore while specifying that the information at hand was false, who spread it, and why because it is an important piece of Tarot history. When this section comes up, it’s very clearly stated that the information spread by that person was completely false along with what their intentions were and why it was believed at the time.

All in all, this is a wonderful book. I highly recommend it even if you have zero interest in Tarot but have an interest in art and art history.

This book is an absolute gem for lovers of tarot art as well as beginners who are looking for instructions as how to as to how to learn simple tarot spreads as well as card interpretations.

“The History of Tarot Art” begins with a short, but informative, history of tarot and moves onto a closer look at the art and background of several decks. Some are well known, like The Rider-Waite-Smith, Thoth, and Morgan Greer decks. Others such as the Cosmic deck are more obscure.

Perhaps the most interesting facet of the book is it’s examination of how tarot decks are not static, but reflective of their time, taking contemporary artistic movements as well as current racial and gender views as their inspiration. In addition, there are numerous images of cards and and pictures from art that inspired them. And for people who can’t find a tarot deck that appeals to them from the featured group, a number of other decks are suggested, but don’t receive the same amount of analysis.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for providing a review copy, but all opinions are all my own. That said, this is a rare galley that leads me to plan to purchase my own copy. I think that’s the highest praise I can give a book.

This is a useful learning tool but it is so much more than that. I really enjoyed the historical context that showed major changes etc. What a wonderful resource!

In “The History of Tarot Art,” Holly Adams Easley and Esther Joy Archer provide a good overview of centuries worth of art. Their approachable look at the evolution of tarot art includes a wealth of examples, as well as the necessary historical context to understand major changes in tarot cards. This book would be a useful resource for anyone writing about tarot cards, as well as anyone interested in tarot for more esoteric purposes.

Libro super carino che illustra l'evoluzione di diversi mazzi di tarocchi e le loro ispirazioni. Particolarmente interessanti gli insight sui mazzi pop che propongono foto di personaggi che han fatto da muse ispiratrici.
Inoltre, per ogni mazzo ce n'è almeno uno suggerito sulla stessa linea.

Per chi studia i tarocchi secondo me è una chicca, insegna a trovare le simbologie comuni

A great visual history of the tarot. I found this book to be both beautiful to look at an incredibly informative. The information is interesting and engaging.

Excellent history of tarot art. I loved learning about some of the earliest tarot decks and today's modern ones, such as The Wild Unknown. Each chapter focuses on a specific but noteworthy tarot deck, accompanied by artwork, and at the end end of each chapter, they provide a nice touch for you to explore more decks. Anyone interested in tarot would love this book!

The History of Tarot Art: Demystifying the Art and Arcana, Deck by Deck by Holly Adams Easley and Esther Joy Archer

Pros: lots of illustrations, sticks to verifiable history, engaging

Cons: images of a few discussed cards not included

Note: I received a review copy of the ebook from Netgalley and therefore cannot comment on the removable Sola-Busca tarot cards or fold-out tarot timeline that the physical book comes with.

The History of Tarot Art takes you on a journey of the most influential tarot decks. After a short introduction there are 12 chapters on specific tarot decks, followed by a chapter that showcases several contemporary decks. Then there’s a quick epilogue and an appendix where the authors explain how to do a tarot reading and provide 2 spreads for beginners.

Each chapter talks about the history of that deck, who the artist was and why the deck was created. In a few cases other artworks by the artist are included so you can see their general style. The artists also explain the wider influence of the decks and offer a few suggestions of other decks you might like if that style of art speaks to you.

In the introduction the authors make it clear that they are only including verifiable history, no ‘fakelore’. I really appreciated the amount of research that went into this book and how ideas about tarot developed from playing cards to cards for divination purposes.

There are a lot of illustrations in the book, mostly specific tarot cards from the decks discussed and recommended. In a few places the authors spoke about specific cards that did not show up in the book, which was unfortunate. There were also a few places where the formatting of the book meant the authors spoke about one specific card, like the sun card, and a different deck’s sun card appeared on that page, which was a bit confusing.

It’s fascinating to see how styles changed over time and how various artists created their own decks to address the fact that the current decks didn’t speak to them or show them as practitioners (so feminist and more inclusive decks that made the esoteric content more accessible).

On the whole this is a fantastic book if you’re interested in the art and history of tarot cards.

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly, this is the coolest book I’ve gotten to review so far. The art alone is simply stunning, but the wealth of knowledge and research put into this book is what I’m impressed by the most.

This would make an amazing gift, coffee table book (not sure what size it is), or simply a book to read if you’re interested in knowing the history of tarot and various forms of art used in different styles of cards. I loved the recommendations for current decks available to purchase and have added some to my wishlist. I will be buying this one, for sure!