Set of twenty-two French faience Tarot de Marseille tiles
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Possibly 19th century
This collection comprises twenty-two rectangular faience tiles, originating from South East France and dating possibly to the 19th century. The tiles are decorated in the tradition of the Tarot de Marseille, a style of playing card imagery historically associated with manufacturing hubs in Marseille during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Each piece depicts an allegorical figure corresponding to the Major Arcana of a traditional tarot deck. The tiles are titled and numbered, featuring characters such as Le Mat, Le Bateleur, La Papesse, L'Emperatrice, L'Empereur, Le Pape, L'Amoreux, Le Chariot, La Justice, L'Hermit, La Fortune, La Force, Le Pendu, Temperance, Diable, La Maison Dieu, L'Toile, La Lune, Le Soleil, Le Jugement, and Le Monde. The iconography and stylistic treatment of the figures reflect standard tarot themes, though one tile representing the XIII card is unnamed.
The total set includes twenty-two distinct tiles, measuring 36 x 21 cm (14 1/4 x 8 1/4 inches) in overall arrangement.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- faience
- Dimensions
- 36 x 21 cm
Technical characteristics
- Quantity
- 22 tiles
Design
- Style
- Tarot de Marseille
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.