In search of the François Heri tarot.
I’m sending out an all points bulletin in hopes that someone might have some images of the François Heri Tarot de Besançon as shown here in Kaplan’s Encyclopedia of Tarot:
This is the closest relative the to the Jean Noblet tarot, they are obviously related, possibly one a copy of the other or more likely based on a similar source. There are details on the Heri deck that I find fascinating, but all I have to work with is this poor quality scan. If anyone can help me out with better versions of the François Heri, I would be very grateful!
LE BATELEUR Hery color: http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/6066/herifranois1730lebatele.png
A curiosity of LE BATELEUR of Hery is that its twig seems in this case a musical instrument, this detail makes me compare it with the bards of old Europe who where known by their games of chance and their poetry and music.
Hi Robert,
Kaplan says the Heri is in the Schweizerische Landesmuseum, Zürich
http://webcollection.landesmuseen.ch/de/sammlungen/spielzeug/
(click to the right, on the
“Objekte aus diesem Ressort anzeigen” line; there are some cards)
They don’t seem to have this item up on the web, but they may be able to get you some scans if you ask.
Ross
Uncredited in The Tarot by Sylvie Simon (Inner Traditions) are several marvelous Besançon images though others found there are attributed to Maison J. M Simon. I would like to know where those Besançon images were taken as well.
I have this tarot deck. Purchased in Venice around 20 years ago. (Tarocco di Bescanon, Francia 1780C.)