Origins

The symbols constituting the Tarot of Marseille are universal. We find them, for centuries, in numerous civilizations; among others in Egypt, in India and in China.

Its main subjects are approached more in detail in the XVth century, in Italy, on the tarots Visconti-Sforza.

In France, various forms of tarots are afterward going to succeed one another: those of Jacquemin Gringoneur at the beginning of XVIth century, of Jean Noblet, in 1650, then the one of Jacques Vieville, still in the XVIIth century.

Finally, appears those of Jean Dodal in 1701, and of Nicolas Conver in 1760, that one which stays the most practised until now (to note however that its iconographic representations are of medieval period). This tarot revives in the XIXth century by Jean-Baptiste Camoin, who proposes a slightly modified version.

After having disappeared little by little from France, from Germany and from Italy, the Tarot of Marseille makes its return in 1930, thanks to Paul Marteau who proposes a new version.
During the XXth century, the tarots are exported towards the Anglo-Saxon countries and the United States, with the version realized by Arthur-Edward Waite and Pamela Colman-Smith, under an esoteric form inherited from Eliphas Lévi and from the Golden Dawn.

In 1998, the artist and philosopher Alejandro Jodorowsky, originator of the movement " Panic ", of the " Mystic Cabaret ", and specialist of the Tarot of Marseille, and the master cartier Philippe Camoin, heir of Jean-Baptiste Camoin, will join their respective knowledges for a work of restoration of the Tarot of Marseille.

Uses and interpretations

Numerous individuals claim to see the future in its cards, by appropriating a power on the persons who consult them and do not realize that they are the only masters of their fate.

Because it was conceived to enlighten human's life, the Tarot of Marseille should not be used otherwise.

Its interpretation from a psychoanalytical and psychological perspective, as established by Alejandro Jodorowsky who also associates the psychogenealogy (inheritance of the affects and psychic patterns from our ancestors) to the tarots, delivers to us the messages of our unconscious.

 - Forty years of researches and practices about these initiatory and inspiring arcanas led the expert to bring to light their symbolic subtleties and to share his experience during conferences, or during his weekly meetings (open and free readings of tarots).-

In this context, the Tarot of Marseille becomes a revealing; it enables us to define what we are not aware about, to review a situation and to study various possibilities. Its study demonstrates that it tends to release the spirit from its illusions and to guide us towards our deep longings.

The Tarot of Marseille contains the mysteries of humanity; each of its cards illustrates a cycle of the life. And if it has the advantage to use an universal language, it is also an inexhaustible inspiring influence.