The High Priestess:
This crowned High Priestess sits on her watery throne in Neptune's Fountain, Piazza del Nettuno, Bologna.

The Empress:
High on a hill above Riola, this beautiful portrayal of The Empress forms part of an overgrown stone wall surrounding La Rocchetta Mattei - a fairytale like castle now in partial ruin - built by the 19th century alchemist Count Cesare Mattei.

The Emperor:
In the magical city of Turin at Piazza Solferino we came across The Fountain of the Four Seasons, or Fontana Angelica as it is sometimes known. A great example of Piedmontese baroque, it was built by Giovanni Riva in 1928. Four gigantic nude figures are surrounded by flowers, fruit, animals and cherubs . . . the great eagle sitting with one of the male figures sharing qualities of the tarot's Emperor.


The Pope / Hierophant:
You are hard pushed NOT to find a depiction of this imposing figure in Italy. The chap used for card number 5 sits high above Piazza Maggiore, Bologna – leaving no room for doubt – this is the a country dominated by the church.

The Lovers:
The beautiful city of Ferarra is home to Palazzo Schifanoia and the rich frescos in the Hall of Months. Centuries of neglect have taken a heavy toll on the building. At one stage in the 18th century it was a tobacco factory! The frescos were hidden under layers of plaster and were only rediscovered in the middle of the 20th century. The image used for The Lovers card comes from the top tier of the month of April - which shows among other things 'groups of youths in amorous attitudes ..."

The Chariot:
During the festivities of the official opening of Museo dei Tarocchi, Riola, a series of theatrical performances were held in the medieval town of La Scala. On the cobbled streets, The Chariot came to life.

Strength:
The Borgo Medievale (Medieval Village) in Turin, was constructed to illustrate various aspects of the civilization of Piedmont in the 15th century. Among the painted decoration on the walls was a lovely depiction of the more common image of strength in the older decks. In this instance man and lion are combined with the club raised high.



The Hermit:
A young dance troop prepared, especially for the opening festivities of Museo dei Tarocchi, dance routines relating to the major arcana. This Hermit was part of the performance.

The Wheel of Fortune and Justice:
The images for cards 10 and 11 were photos taken in Piazza San Marco, Venice. The zodiac clock (depicting the Wheel of Fortune) is from the famous St Mark's Clock Tower and the statue of Justice sits high up on the outer walls of the Doge's Palace.

The Hanged Man:
In Bergamo we found the perfect image for The Hanged Man - part of a bronze work that carried the following inscription (in Italian):
   Partisan, I saw you surrender, motionless,
   Only the hair was moving, on your face slightly.
   It was the evening air, that gently blew, in the silence,
   and caressed you, as I wanted to do.

Death:
The last thing one expects to see when cruising down the Grand Canal in Venice is a 1000 kilo giant skull made out of thousands of stainless steel utensils (pitchers, colanders, ladles and the likes) - but we did! It was on display on a platform outside Palazzo Grassi. 'Very Hungry God', is the work of Indian artist Subodh Gupta - Part of Biennale di Venezia - a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place in Venice every two years.

Temperance:
Temperance is just one of thousands of carvings decorating the marble archways on the outer walls of the Doge's Palace in Piazza San Marco, Venice.

The Devil:
In the red stone buildings of Bologna - hideous carved faces leer down at those who frequent the pavements below. This horned man – makes a wonderful Devil – his stony face showing very little wear despite its exposure to the elements over the centuries.

The Towers:
At the end of the 12th century there were about one hundred towers in Bologna and were a sign of prestige for the families who lived in them. Today only around fifteen towers remain many of them on a very precarious lean!

The Star:
The angelic statue in Piazza Statuto in Turin seems innocent enough - and I have taken liberties using it to represent The Star card. In reality this lovely angel with a star upon his head and feathered pen in his right hand soaring majestically above boulders stacked with suffering souls represents something quite different.

The Sun:
This beautiful filigree work was a simple sign outside a shop in the quaint little streets of Città Alta", the upper city of Bergamo. It is of course here at the Accademia Carrara, that some of the original Visconti Sforza tarot cards are on display along with some of Northern Italy's most important collections of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque paintings.

The Moon:
This carving was on one of the pillars within the Malatesta Temple in Rimini.

Judgment:
High atop a building in Venice, this winged angel of Judgment blows out on his trumpet - summoning all who walk below to awaken and hear the call.

The World:
This image reminiscent of the oval wreath of The World card is part of The Resurrection fresco, dating from 1473 at Castello Sforzesco, Milan. One of the painters commissioned for this work was Bonifacio Bembo who was of course believed to have painted the original Visconti Sforza tarot images.