Marseille Tarot
The Marseille Tarot is the classic 78-card deck, descended from patterns printed in Europe from the 17th and 18th centuries onward. It gathers 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana across four suits. Recognizable by its clean lines and flat color blocks, it is readily read as a mirror of the self rather than a tool of prediction. It is one of the most widespread tarot families.
What sets it apart
You recognize the Marseille Tarot by its plain style and its Minor Arcana that are not illustrated with scenes: Pentacles, Cups, Swords and Wands are shown through their repeated symbols. Its bold colors and almost folk-art drawing make it a warm, legible deck, deeply rooted in the European printing tradition.
How to approach it
To enter this deck, let the images and colors speak first, before reaching for fixed meanings. Notice the gazes, the gestures, the directions things face. Read it as a conversation with yourself, a mirror held toward your present moment, and move step by step, card after card, at your own pace.
Sources
- , The Way of Tarot (2004)