Sola-Busca-Tarot-Deck.pdf

8/10/2019 Sola-Busca-Tarot-Deck.pdf

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The Sola-Busca Tarot Deckby

Michael J. Hurst

An Overview

In The Encyclopedia of Tarot, Stuart Kaplan writes: "In Early Italian Engravings (1938), A.M. Hind wrote of acomplete pack of tarocchi cards dating from the late fifteenth century. The cards were owned by the Sola-Buscafamily of Milan, but are presently accessible only through photographs given to Hind by the Sola family for theBritish Museum, and through Hind's book, which illustrates the deck. Hind was given the privilege of examining

the actual cards in 1934. Unfortunately, the Sola-Busca family and their cards can no longer be found.

"Several cards made from the same metal engraving plates are owned by various museums, including theAlbertina Collection of Vienna, which owns twenty-three of the 'Sola-Busca' cards...." Unlike the specimenbelonging to the Sola-Busca family, the Albertina cards are not illuminated. They include all of the trumps exceptthe first and last, MATOand NABUCHODENASOR. "Comparison with the extant cards in the Albertina Collection,which have no illumination, shows that the painter added some details to the original engravings. The initials onthe aces, 'S.M.,' are probably those of the illuminator." (Kaplan II:297.) Hind suggested that M.S. may have been

Mattia Serrati da Cosandola, a late-fifteenth-century Ferrarese illuminator.

The deck is dated, based on inscriptions unique to the illuminated specimen, from the founding of Venice, butthere are two possible dates for that event the alternate dating of the deck is 1523. The inscription SENATUSVENETUSon card IIII implies a Venetian origin, andANNO AB URBE CONDITA MLXXon card XIIII implies a date 1070years after the founding (A.U.C.).

Sola-Busca was apparently made by a Ferrarese artist, with classical and biblical characters, and illustrated suitcards. (Cf. the 1550 Rouen classical deck.) It has the standard number of trumps and suit-cards, and the suit-signsare almost standard, but are worked into individual scenes, i.e., illustrated pips. The trumps and most court cardshave names identifying the figures illustrated, more or less. In addition to historical figures, the court cards alsoappear to include gods. The Pages are not named, only the Kings, Queens, and Knights, as if the names wereborrowed from a 52-card deck. This may be related to the 1480 French-suited court cards. (K I:124, 126-7; K II:270,297, 298-302; GT 76; H 20.)

Sola-Busca Court Cards

Suit King Queen Knight

Swords Alecxandro M Olinpia Amone

Staves L Evio Plauto R Palas Apolino

Cups Lucio Cecilio R Polisena Natanabo

Coins R Filipo Elena Sarafino


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There are a number of other examples of possible conflation with standard Tarot trumps.

II Postumio might be conflated with Death. V Catulo might be conflated with Justice. VIII Nerone might be conflated with the Hanged Man.

XIII Cato might be conflated with Death, and is appropriately numbered. XV Metelo might be conflated with the Emperor. XVII Ipeo might be conflated with the Angel/Judgement. XVIII Lentulo might be conflated with the Hermit.

The Theme of the Deck

Most of the figures illustrated in the trumps appear to represent Romans, either individuals or their families,prominent during the period of the Late Republic. This suggests a context for understanding the series. SolaBusca has been called a "warriors" deck, but it needs to be kept in mind that in ancient Rome the military leaderswere also civic leaders. Although the figures are shown in armor, their significance was greater than their battles.In addition to figures from the Late Republic, the Fool appears to show a Celt, one trump shows the emperorNero, and the highest two trumps show Babylonian kings, Nimrod and Nebuchadnezzar.

The Late Republic was a distinctive period in the history of Rome. The agrarian and citizenship reform years ofthe Gracchi, the Marius-Sulla years, and the Catalina-Cicero years, as well as the rise of Caesar and the subsequentTriumvirate, are all part of this breakdown of the Republic, and transition to Imperial Rome. In a very summaryoutline, the early history of Rome can be divided as follows.

1. The period of kings, from the legendary founding in 753 BC to the beginning of the Republic in 509 BC.2.

The early Republic, from 508 BC till the start of the Punic (i.e., Carthaginian) wars in 264 BC.

3.

The period of wars with Carthage, highlighted by Scipio Africanus Major's defeat of Hannibal in 202 BC,and culminated by Scipio Africanus Minor's ul timate destruction of Carthage in 146 BC.4. The Late Republic, from 146 BC t ill the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.5. Imperial Rome, which from a Christian perspective reached a kind of climax with Nero Caesar in 64

AD, the Antichrist (666) who not only declared himself a living god, but began the Christianpersecutions, (during which St. Peter and St. Paul were martyred), shortly before the destruction ofthe Jewish Temple.

During the period from the defeat of Hannibal until the final destruction of Carthage, Rome conquered Greeceand virtually all the lands surrounding the Mediterranean. This period saw the development of a distinctiveRoman culture, based on Greek models, which included the republican model of government. The later Republicperiod saw Romes military domination of the Mediterranean world the literal triumph of Rome. It was an era ofpersonal ambition and blatantly Machiavellian politics among the ruling families. The personality of the era wasfirmly established under the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla (138 - 78 BC; consulin 88 and 80; dictatorin 82, 81, and80) in 82 BC, when Sulla's army returned to Rome and took the city by force, then settled scores ruthlessly,

slaughtering thousands (including dozens of senators). Many people were dispossessed of property and rights,and Sullas veterans and political friends were enriched with the spoils. The notion of political Right and Leftwere popularized at this time, the Optimates and Populares, with Sulla and Gaius Marius more or less

( ) ( )


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I PANFILIO

One possible identification for PANFILIO is Boccaccio's Panfilo. The Decameron Web site includes thisdescription:

Panfilo repeatedly emphasizes the need to look deeper into the stories of the brigata bypresenting characters and situations which hide their true nature. Indeed, Panfilo acts as analmost direct voice of Boccaccio, in that he reminds us that the Decameron is not simply acollection of entertaining stories. It is Boccaccio's intention that we look deeper into thestories of the Decameron, so that it becomes a vehicle from which "useful advice" can begleaned.

Panfilo begins the Decameron with a story about Cepparello, a scoundrel and usurer who,through a skillful confession on his death bed, becomes glorified as a saint. We can see fromthis story that, unless we want to look as silly as the townsfolk who considered Cepparello asaint, it is important to look deeper into things before judging their meaning. This translateseasily into looking deeper into the stories of the Decameron. When Panfilo ends his first story

by saying how wonderful God is because God can transmit His message through even the worst sinner, it appearsthat Panfilo is going to end all of his tales with a gay and positive moral. Instead, the theme that Panfilo comesback to time and time again is the "Don't judge a book by its cover" theme - a particularly apt proverb considering

the medium in which he exists.

Tea has suggested Pamphilius, a "celebrated painter of Macedonia in the age of Philip...."

II POSTUMIO

This is a common name and several possibilities come up, including at least SpuriusPostumius Albinus, consulin 113, 110, and his brother Aulus Postumius Albinus, praetorin 102.

When he took office in 110, Spurius assumed leadership of the Numidian campaign; but hewas ineffectual in the war against Jugurtha. When Spurius returned to Rome to pursue theconsular elections for 109, he left his brother Aulus in command. Aulus' ineptitude andJugurtha's cunning resulted in a disgraceful defeat for the Romans. They were forced to"pass under the yoke", a traditional Italian humiliation in which the defeated army marched

beneath a yoke made of spears. The Romans hadn't suffered this indignity for two and a halfcenturies. (Spurius returned to Numidia, but was charged with accepting bribes fromJugurtha and exiled, along with Cato the Elder and others. Quintus Caecilius Metellus becamethe consul charged with the Numidian affair after the 109 election, taking Gaius Marius and

Lucius Cornelius Sulla with him as lieutenants.)

III LENPIO

Tea has suggested Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, pontifex maximus, an opponent of Sulla.He waspraetor in 129; consul in 126 and 78; marched on Rome in 77, escaped to Sardinia where he


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V CATULO

Quintus Lutatius Catulus, one of Sullas lieutenants, was praetor in 109; consul in 102 BC withMarius; proconsul in 101, he and Marius defeated the Cimbri and celebrated a joint triumph inthat year. Catulus was killed in 87 by the Marians, led by Lucius Cornelius Cinna.

VI SESTO

One possibility is Gaius Sextius Calvinus, praetorin 127 and 92, consul in 124. As consul, he was responsible for thearea known as Transalpine (Cisalpine) Gaul. Marius had two notable victories at Aquae Sextiae, which had been

taken by Sextius in 124 and which he named after himself. (Sextius also met with Jugurtha.)

Another possibility is the historian Gaius Sallustius Crispus, aka, Sallust, who wrote a history ofthe Jugurthine war. There are several Sola-Busca figures whose names might suggest famousRoman writers from whom the history of the era is known.

SESTO Sallust DEOTAURO Diodorus

TULIO Marcus Tullius Cicero OLIVO Livy IPEO Appian

Another possibility is Sextilius, praetorin 68, or P. Sextus, quaestorin 63, tribuneinvolved in Cicero's recall in 57.

Tea suggests Sextus Tarquinius, the "son of the last Roman king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. It was Sextus whoraped Lucretia and the result led to the overthrow of the Tarquin dynasty and the establishment of the Republic(509 BC)."

VII DEOTAURO

The first-century BC Greek historian Diodorus of Sicily, one of the primary sources ofinformation on the Late Republic, is a possibility. (Cf. Sesto.)

Tea suggests Deiotaro, a "Galatian ally of Rome during the time of Pompeii."


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X VENTURIO

Lucius Veturius Philowas Quaestor in 102, along with Marcus Livius Drusus. (Gaius Marius andQ. Lutatius Catulus were consuls in that year, Metellus Numidicus was censor, AulusPostumius Albinus was praetor, and Marius won his victories at Aquae Sextiae in Gaul.)

XI TULIO

Marcus Tullius Cicero, the great orator, statesman, and writer of the Late Republic, fromwhose letters we derive most of our knowledge of the period. (Cf. Sesto.) M. Cicero was aquaestor in 75, aedile in 69, praetorin 66, and consul in 63. (Quintus Tullius Cicero was also

prominent during the same period.) Cicero was the central figure in the Cataline conspiracy,claiming to have saved Rome by thwarting it, and leaving behind five famous orations againstthe conspirators. Lucius Sergius Catalina (108 - 62 BC) was his nemesis.

XII CARBONE

Another very prominent family. When Germans (Cimbri and Teutones, referred to as "Gauls"by the Romans) were threatening Italy from the North in 113, consul Cornelius (Gnaeus)Papirius Carbowas sent to keep them out. He was praetorin 116 and 89, tribunein 92, consul

in 113, again in 85-84 with Lucius Cornelius Cinna (the other foremost Marian), and in 82 withGaius Marius (the son of the late Marius). Tea notes that Carbo was a Roman general, leaderof the forces of Gaius Marius in the civil war between Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla....[years later he was] defeated by Sullas general Metellus Pius...

Gaius Papirius Carbo was praetorin 123, consulin 120, tribunein 89.

Marcus Papirius Carbo was praetorin 114.

XIII CATONE


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XVI OLIVO

Marcus Livius Drusus(the Elder).

Marcus Livius Drusus(the Younger) was an opponent of the Gracchus reforms; tribunein 122;

praetor in 115; consul in 112; censor in 109; quaestor in 102; aedile in 94; tribune in 91. Heproposed Roman citizenship for Italians in 91 (consulswere Sextus Julius Caesar and LuciusMarcius Philippus).

Mamilius Aemilius Lepidus Livianus was consulin 77.

The historian Livy is another possibility. (Cf. VI SESTO.)

XVII IPEO

Scipio might be a possibility -- there are (as usual) several to choose from. L. Cornelius ScipioAsiaticus was consul in 83; his army was incorporated by Sulla as the latter took Rome byforce, (although Scipio was released).

The legendary P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus, who triumphed over Hannibal, was consul in 134.

P. Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, as proconsul, captured and destroyed Numantia in Spain in133, celebrating a triumph the next year. He was tribune in 130, died the next year (perhapskilled by C. Papirius Carbo and C. Gracchus).

P. Cornelius Scipio Nasica Serapio was Pontifex Maximus in 133; sent as legate to the newprovince of Asia in 132; praetorin 114, 93; consulin 111.

Another possibility is the historian, Appian. (Cf. VI SESTO.)

Tea suggests Hippias of Elis, a fifth century BC Sophist and historian. His list of victors in the Olympic Games wentback to 776 BC, and became the basis for Greek dates, just at the Romans marked time from the founding ofRome, or modern usage (BC and AD) from the birth of Christ... or as Sola Busca was dated from the founding of

Venice.

XVIII LENTULO

Lentulus is another common name. Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther was aedile in 63;praetorin 60; consul in 57. He was one of the Catilinarian conspirators, which connects him toone of the great disputes of the Late Republic.

Publius Cornelius Lentulus was consul in 128; princeps senatus in 125. P. Cornelius LentulusSura was quaestorin 81; praetorin 74. P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus was quaestor in 48.


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XXI NABUCHODENASOR

Nebuchadnezzar was the King of Babylon at the time the Jews were taken into the 70-yearBabylonian captivity. XXI is the highest card in the sequence (as always, assuming that thenumbering is meaningful) and yet it shows this nemesis of the Old Testament prophets. He

was a great military man and a great builder. Hes shown on the card in all his sovereign glorytaking a nap. Perhaps a true republic is out of the question the best you can hope for is atyrant whos fallen asleep.There is another reason, of course, for depicting the King asleep from the Book of Daniel.

The Moral of the Story

Every picture (or series of pictures) tells a story, and in fifteenth-century Italy, every story had a moral. Whatmight be the moral of a story about the Late Republic, an era of great political hopes and degraded, sleazypolitical reality? What is suggested by the series ending with XX showing the destruction of an ambitious, vain,

and doomed project, and XXI showing a legendary tyrant who was humbled by God? Does the fact that the Kingis shown asleep imply the need for another Daniel, or does it suggest that the sequence of Roman eras is thefulfillment of the original Daniel's interpretation of the dream of the statue with feet of clay?

Selected References

Durant, Will. The Story of Civilization III: Caesar and Christ. Simon and Schuster, 1944. There are endless booksincluding discussions of the Late Republic period, and many of them are even entertaining.

Kaplan, Stuart. The Encyclopedia of Tarot. U.S. Games Systems Inc., 1978.

Dummett, Michael. The Game of Tarot.Duckworth, 1980.

Sofia Di Vincenzo, Sola Busca Tarot U.S. Games Systems, Inc., 1998

Hildinger, Erik. Swords Against the Senate: The Rise of the Roman Army and the Fall of the Republic. Da Capo, 2002.This is a readable and detailed popular history of the precise subject of the Sola Busca trumps.

Prentice, Tea. Sola Busca Tarot Information (http://sword.lightspeed.bc.ca/hilander/sola/sola_info.htm). This is thesource which inspired the present page. It includes images of all the cards from a reproduction deck.

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Sola-Busca-Tarot-Deck.pdf