Arcani Maggiori di Adolfina
Artist: Adolfina De Stefani
Theme: Tarot cards inspired by this performance artist
Leaflet: in Italian by Morena Poltronieri & Ernesto Fazioli
Card Size: 4.75" H x 2.75" W, 7 x 12 Cm
Specs: Limited Ed. of 300 numbered, signed decks
Semi-gloss cardstock fronts with matte backs, square corners
Packaging: Sleek black & red box, tied with silk ribbons, nicely produced
Card Backs: symbolic design by the artist which is not reversible (see below)
Published by Museo Dei Tarocchi - Hermatena in 2009
Tarot Museum Price: €50. Euro + Italian Postage
*Discounted Price for U.S. Customers Below

Description: This unusual deck is created by the Italian performance artist Adolfina De Stefani. From what I’ve gathered from spending time with our wonderful Museo friends and their creative colleagues, they are really into performance art. They seem to include an acting out of Tarot meanings during most of their special events and festivals. This performance artist uses familiar symbols along with her body and facial expressions to evoke the meaning of each card in clever ways that would be recognizable to most Tarotists. The background of each scene is stark white and all focus is on her. A brief excerpt from the artist regarding her creative process for this deck (roughly translated):

..."The creation of "my" interpretation of the Major Arcana is primarily an "existential performance" through the immediacy produced by the photographic representation meant to convey a universal and intuitive logic that combines human relations and symbols for the primary intent of individual liberation...
I wanted to live with this creation, analyze and translate it to the means of my art making, with a contextual sense of belonging to the twenty-two Major Arcana and in this way represent the tensions, needs, histories, and dimensions of life..."

The backs of this deck have an image created by the artist with a dainty signature that is not reversible. The box the deck comes in is beautifully produced. It is glossy black and made from sturdy cardstock with matching silk ribbons. The inside has a deep red, shiny rectangle of cardstock that looks sexy contrasted against the shiny black outer box. The leaflet is in Italian. It appears to be signed by the artist, as well as the producers of this set, Morena Poltronieri and Ernesto Fazioli. Fans of performance art may be drawn to this unique deck made with a dedicated sense of purpose, combined with the beautiful production.

Arcani Maggiori di Adolfina