VI / (Six of Swords)
Printmaker:
Unknown
Publisher:
Tourcaty, J. Francois, fils
Two sets of three crossed, curved swords, with initials, 'E.S' at the centre to either side of a flower motif. Roman numerals, 'VI', printed at centre left and right. From an incomplete pack of Tarot of Marseille, with Italian suits, 73 of 78 (including one partial card). The Two of Coins is inscribed with the publisher's name: 'J . FRANCOIS . TOURCATY . FILS', followed by 'ANNO', although no year of publication is given. 'J. François Tourcaty fils' was the son of playing-card maker and engraver, Jean François Tourcaty (1734-53), who was based in Marseilles. The son's dates are thought to be 1763-1793 after. Missing cards are: King and Queen of Cups, Five of Cups, Three of Swords and Two of Clubs. The trump pack is complete, although the lower half of the first card, 'Le Bateleur', is missing. The numerals of 12, 'The Hanged Man' are printed back-to-front as 'IIX'. A number of the cards are inscribed with initials: 'E.S.' on Two of Swords, Six of Swords and Eight of Swords; 'Le Chariot' bears the initials 'F.T.' ; All the numeral cards of the suit of Clubs are inscribed with the letters, 'B.A.'. The backs of the cards are printed in blue with a 'diamond' pattern. This pack contains suppressed and missing court cards where regal titles and crowns have been effaced and similarly in the trump pack, the titles and crowns of characters on such cards as the Pope, Popess, Emperor and Empress are missing. This suppression of sovereignty was common practice in playing-card production during the revolutionary period in France, 1789-1799, and continued into the early nineteenth century. Other collections hold similarly suppressed packs: See Bibliothèque nationale de France: http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb409185685. Another set, similarly censored, is in the collection of the British Museum: 1896,0501.568.1-58. See O'Donoghue, Freeman, Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed to the British Museum by Lady Charlotte Schreiber, London, BM, 1901, no. 17.
Bequeathed by Spencer George Perceval, 1923
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1923) by Perceval, Spencer George
18th Century
Circa
1789
-
Circa
1799
Height 117mm x width 60mm
Accession number: P.14633-R(9)
Primary reference Number: 225007
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Paintings, Drawings and Prints
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