Today, numerous contemporary artists have reinterpreted tarot cards, bringing unique styles and approaches to the famous Rider-Waite depictions. But what if you knew about a tarot card deck created by a celebrated artist like Salvador Dali?
Most of us have heard of Salvador Dalí, but not all know he was commissioned with a tarot card deck in the 1970s. He was hired to create a deck for a James Bond film, Live and Let Die. The project was not completed for the movie, but Dalí continued developing his tarot deck, which was then released in 1984.
It’s a must-have for any tarot reader who is also a fan of classic art, especially if they know the insights of the painter and his wife Gala. She was a significant influence on this project, adding layers of extra symbolism and depth to this impressive deck.
Surrealist art as a tool for tarot insight
When learning about tarot cards and how to perform readings, one of the most striking discoveries is how you can blend your reality into each card’s deep symbols and archetypes. Just imagine how mind-bending it would be if we had surrealist art depictions for the major and minor arcana.
Dalí’s Tarot is an interesting fusion of his work with other exponents of European painting, such as Botticelli and Velázquez. Ultimately, you get an original tarot deck with a strong artistic background and deep esoteric meaning.
One notable example is the portrayal of The Empress. In his version, Dalí includes elements from two Renaissance paintings that convey the meaning of beauty and abundance. Combined with Dalí’s surrealistic approach, it gives you a unique mystic vibe that also feels like an homage to art history.
The psychologic aspects of Dalí’s Tarot
Another salient aspect of Dalí’s Tarot is how it can help readers reach a new approach to the same archetypes. The most recent reprint of this tarot deck by TASCHEN comes with a handbook by tarot expert Johannes Fiebig. In his view, this deck was designed for an esoteric reading and a profound psychological introspection.
One example is The Fool, a card with an extra sense of duality in Dalí’s Tarot. The character embodies duality, appearing both as an explorer of an irrational world and a jester who defies universal laws. By itself, the drawing is an almost too direct invitation for self-discovery that constantly reminds us how wisdom can sometimes be intertwined with madness in our search for truth.
Dalí’s Tarot is not a conventional piece, and it’s much more than a stylish reimagining of the same Rider-Waite cards. It’s a surrealistic art piece that continues inviting tarot readers to explore a deeper esoteric and psychological meaning. The first edition of this deck is no longer available. That’s why TASCHEN now reprinted Dalí’s Tarot Multilingual Edition by Johannes Fiebig, with all 78 cards in a fresh celebration of Dalí’s inimitable custom set.
The work was published in a limited art edition in 1984 that has since long sold out, making Dalí the first renowned painter to create a completely new set of cards. Drawing on Western masterpieces from antiquity to modernity (including some of his own), Dalí seamlessly combined his knowledge of the arcane with his unmistakable wit. The result is a surreal kaleidoscope of European art history.
TASCHEN resurrects all 78 cards in a fresh celebration of Dalí’s inimitable custom set, complete with a booklet by renowned German tarot author Johannes Fiebig offering an introduction to Dalí’s life and the project’s making-of, a comprehensive explanation of each card’s composition, its meaning, and practical advice, step-by-step instructions on how to perform readings, and a jargon-free approach simplifying tarot for the newcomer.
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