Tarot Lenormand: Tarot de Madame Lenormand by Lo Scarabeo, 9780738710075 | Buy online at The Nile
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Tarot Lenormand: Tarot de Madame Lenormand

Author: Lo Scarabeo  

This is the first tarot deck inspired by Madame Lenormand, the most famous cartomant in history. The images come from the "Book of Thoth "by Etteilla and from Madame Lenormand''s oracle cards. These stark, yet powerful, cards hold the key to interpreting the present, past and future.

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PRODUCT INFORMATION

Summary

This is the first tarot deck inspired by Madame Lenormand, the most famous cartomant in history. The images come from the "Book of Thoth "by Etteilla and from Madame Lenormand''s oracle cards. These stark, yet powerful, cards hold the key to interpreting the present, past and future.

Read more

Description

Discover an Ancient Tarot with a Modern Twist

The most common tradition of Tarot today only goes back 100 years. The Tarot, however, is much older. Now you can use the type of cards that influenced the modern system, bringing a true level of authenticity and history to all of your readings. The Tarot Lenormand combines the famous Lenormand oracle deck with Etteilla's Thoth Tarot, a bit of the modern tradition and puts it all together with a twist of modern wit and cleverness, and a dollop of original design. How can it do all this? By being inspired by all of these deck rather than just copying them. The result is something very unique and original, but also familiar enough for use by most Tarot readers. The difference is that these updated ancient designs will give your readings a feeling of true antiquity and a power not found in other Tarot decks.

Although it is based on a combination of symbols and styles, it features beautiful, clean, and uncluttered art that truly represents its Napoleonic setting. If feels unified, comprehensive, fresh and new. This feeling will carry into your readings and meditations, bringing new interpretations, concepts, and depth. This isn't just a copy of other decks, it's something that is familiar while being unlike any other Tarot deck.

And that's the key to this deck. It's both very old in style and yet as modern as tomorrow. Perfect for people of any spiritual system, this intriguing deck is a must for all Tarot practitioners and collectors.

The companion booklets for most Lo Scarabeo decks are in five languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German.

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Critic Reviews

Summary: Tarot Lenormand is a creative blend of traditional Lenormand cards, The Book of Thoth Tarot by Eteilla, and a touch of RWS [Rider-Waite-Smith]. As such, it is presents unusual and delightful opportuities to those familiar with RWS decks that will expand and stretch your ideas about the card meanings. For beginners it provides lovely, simple images from everyday life that are easy to interpret. The setting is Napoleonic France with appropriate images and allusions. Knowledge of the era is certainly not necessary to use this deck, but, as with anything, the more you know, the more you'll get out of it.


Review
This deck, Tarot Lenormand (TL), is a very ambitious project. It combines elements of the third version of the Book of Thoth Tarot (Etteilla, not Crowley!) deck and the Lenormand oracle deck with a touch of RWS, a twist of modern wit and cleverness, and a dollop of original design. How does it do that you ask? Well, mostly by being more of a homage and exploration than a slavish imitation. The Major Arcana cards draw on the Major Arcana of the Etteilla deck. Some of these are very similar in composition to the Eteilla designs, Justice, Strength, the Lovers (although a cupid is added to the TL card), the Magician, the Wheel, and the Chariot, for example. Some, while not as similar, do give a definite nod to the Etteilla cards. The World card in both shows a naked figure draped in red on a path. In the TL, the figure is female and holds a branch while in the Eteilla card the figure is male and holds a club. The TL Hermit and the Tower cards both have striking similarities to the Etteilla cards in terms of the buildings depicted.

The RWS influence is seen in the existence of (but not traditional depictions of) The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, and The Hanged Man, which do not exist in the Etteilla deck. These cards show images from Napoleonic France, such as Madame Lenormand, Josephine, Napoleon, and "Liberty, Brotherhood, & Equality."

The court cards acknowledge Etteilla's court cards. They are not copies but again, like the Majors, they give a distinct nod (and perhaps a wink) to their older cousins. If you lay them side by side, you'll see the same beard here, a similar crown there, a jaunty plume just so, a dashing mustache, or simply a general likeness. The TL divinatory meanings are based the Etteilla meanings, sometimes using the same key words.

You might wonder where the "Lenormand" aspect comes in. Let's move on to the Minor Arcana. Here we find some very clearly "Lenormand" images. The 6 of Swords is The Ship (the 10 of Spades/3). The 2 of Pentacles is The Tree (7 of Hearts/5). In addition to easily recognizable images, the TL adds its own twist to some. The 7 of Swords shows a cloaked man running around at night with a lamp and a knife while a snake (a very big snake) curls around a fallen tree branch. This corresponds to The Snake (Queen of Clubs/7) in the Lenormand deck, which simply shows a snake curled by a broken tree. Number 8/9 of Diamonds in the Lenormand deck is The Coffin and shows an image of a coffin. The corresponding card in the TL is the 10 of Swords and shows a man laying on his deathbed.

Regardless of the varied ancestry of this deck, it does not have a motley, thrown-together feel visually. On the contrary, the beautiful, clean, uncluttered artistic renderings and the Napoleonic setting are quite successful at creating a unified, comprehensive feel to the deck. The skillfully executed art helps the various traditions fit together to create a fresh, new Tarot.

This deck, with its clear images and depictions of every day elements is in theory perfectly suitable for daily divination or fortune telling. Indeed, the major influences for this deck, Etteilla and Lenormand, were also created for divinatory use.

In the TL, the 10 of Wands is the same image as the "Broom and Whip" from the Lenormand. The Lenormand meaning is about violence and problems. In the TL, the card meaning is given as "cleaning, improvement, elimination of small problems, liberation from heavy bonds." This meaning feels more like the meaning given to the whip and broom in Wicca. In magical practice a whip (also called a scourge) represents cleaning or purification. This is an interesting twist on the Lenormand meaning. In any event, there are many of these differences, which some may find intriguing.

Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
ISBN: 0738710075
Artist: Ernest Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick is also the artist for the Harmonious Tarot
Name of accompanying booklet: Tarot Lenormand
Number of pages of booklet: 64 (14 pages in English)
Author of booklet: Alma De Angelis
Reading Uses: Divination, every day readings, fortune telling
Theme: Lenormand Oracles, Etteilla, Book of Thoth Tarot, Napoleonic era
Does it follow Rider-Waite-Smith Standard? Since it is based on two traditions that preceded it and influenced it, to some extent, yes. But it is definitely not a clone.
Why was deck created? To explore two systems that were used for divination and fortune telling and that influenced RWS.

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About the Author

Lo Scarabeo's Tarot decks have been acclaimed all over the world for originality and quality. With the best Italian and international artists, each Lo Scarabeo deck is an exceptional artistic value.

Commited to developing innovative new decks while preserving the rich tradition of Tarot, Lo Scarabeo continues to be a favorite among collectors and readers.

Llewellyn is the exclusive distributor of Lo Scarabeo products in North America.

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More on this Book

Inspired by Madame Lenormand, the most famous cartomant in history. The images come from the Book of Thoth by Etteilla and from Madame Lenormand's oracle cards. These stark, yet powerful, cards hold the key to interpreting the present, past and future.

Read more

Product Details

Publisher
Llewellyn Publications
Published
31st October 2006
ISBN
9780738710075

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