Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg

by
~*~Velvet Angel ~*~

Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg

~*~ This deck is suitable for any question you wish to ask of the Tarot. ~*~

Deck by Yury Shakov, Russian Miniature Artist

This deck portrays beautiful miniature paintings by Russian artist, Yury Shakov, who was famous for his lacquer miniatures. This deck was his last commissioned work before he died in 1989. The intricate artwork was painted the actual size portrayed on the cards. At times, the artist had to use a magnifying glass for this magnificent and detailed work. Some of the fine details required a single-hair paintbrush. The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg combines traditional tarot themes with images from Russian history and culture.

Each scene on the cards is placed in a black oval with the remainder of the cards being a border of flowering vines. The Minor Arcana also show the symbol of the suit within the vined border. This presentation of the cards really does make the main images small, but this is the unique -- and pretty -- feature of this special deck.

This deck is easy to read, even for the beginner. It closely follows the traditional themes of the Rider-Waite. This deck is available as a boxed set with the book, Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg by tarot writer, Cynthia Giles. Giles explains the background, interpretations, and use of this interesting deck.

Number of Cards in Deck: 78 cards (22 Major/56 Minor)

Size of Cards: 2-3/4" x 4-3/4"

Included with deck: LWB (Little White Book)
Available as a boxed set with the book, Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg

Major Arcana: (Non-traditional titles are highlighted in blue.)
Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant,
Lovers, Chariot, Strength, Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice,
Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Falling Tower, Star, Moon,
Sun, Judgment, World

Suit Names: (Non-traditional titles are highlighted in blue.)
Cups, Clubs (Wands), Swords, Coins (Pentacles)

Court Cards: King, Queen, Knight, Page

Back Design of Cards: