Stuart R. Kaplan and his business U.S. Games Systems changed the world of tarot in a major way. Besides publishing a flow of innovative decks, Stuart brought tarot to mainstream bookstores in the US. It's hard to understand now, when tarot decks are easily available online and in chain bookstores, but back in the early 80s, tarot was hard to find, especially if you lived in a small town or even a small city. Stuart also kept the Rider-Waite deck in circulation. Sure, he's a smart, creative businessman who made money on it. But he also genuinely loves the artwork of Pamela Colman Smith and the tarot in general. I know this well, having worked with him for years.

Here's to Stuart, a born Fool whose creative leaps opened all kinds of new roads in the tarot World! 

Besides the weird fun of  the topic, Rima Staine's thesis Misrule, Mockery & Monstrosity in Marginal Medieval Art is a great source for illustrations of secular medieval life. "The Profane and the Rude" section goes to show that mores don't make a straight line in history. (tangent: cool definition of mores.)

This 14th-century illustration from the Luttrell Psalter is like the tarot card, The Fool. The image of an itinerate worker with staff and pack being harried by a dog survived for centuries. The court jester pursued by the dog, as on the tarot card, came later, around the 17th century.  The court jester worked his way into the deck before that, sometimes with kids or small adults, but without the dog.

Almost halfway on my WIP Bianca!

I liked the way the end of my desk looked after writing a scene of dialogue that took place through tarot cards. (Bows to Italo Calvino.) Most of the time I sketch out the scene in longhand (the notebook under the cards). Broadly, what will happen, the characters' intentions, a key event sometimes in a little more detail. I was arranging and rearranging the cards as I wrote the scene (on the computer).

The VP forum has had a discussion on knights abducting ladies, and how they would both fit on a horse. Rather than clog up the forum with my lengthy two cents, I put it ( back here. )
Has anyone ever seen a medieval period picture showing two people on one horse? That would resolve the question... but I have a feeling a pic like that would be hard to find.

Music: Medieval Harp: Four Italian Dances

(added 12/31 - gah, format of this entry got screwed up somehow between yesterday and today. Sorry. I fixed it; hope it stays right this time.)