The main exceptions, i.e., magic numbers that do have some meaningful relationship with gaming, appear to be the statistician Kendall's proposal (that it matches the 21 outcomes with two dice, which is a real gaming consideration and which is consistent with the 56 suit cards as the outcomes of thr...

Hi Michael, and all, You're a tough act to follow. Firstly, I think the following point - Beyond that, however, the three virtues in Tarot are a complete set, in the same sense that the four Cardinal Virtues are a complete set and the seven Cardinal Virtues are as well. The group of Justice, Fortitu...

A picture tells a thousand words, it is said: http://lent.goarch.org/judgement/learn/images/judgement.jpg Thanks Steve. Makes the point very clearly. It is clearly the archangel Michael, and not the Cardinal Virtue, Justice. Are they not part of 28 that correspond to the 28 letters of the arabic al...

Hi Michael, Hi, Ross, This is my opinion - no cabal. I don't know what other experts or commentators think about it, but I believe Michael Hurst agrees with me at least. LOL -- small comfort that! However, for what it's worth, I do agree. (gives secret handshake, whispers password in ear) Good to kn...

Hi RLG, I don't find this analysis convincing, because it really has no explanatory power, and it is not necessary. Forcing the Fool into the order, and knocking off the highest numbered card, in order to get the result of a simple symmetry of the virtues, is fudging. All this just to space the virt...

Hi Dai, Ross, I see that you mentioned my book Origins in the context of off-handedly dismissing Neoplatonic influence on the Tarot names, hierarchy and meanings. It may seem off-handed but my dismissal is based on many years of study, as well as reading all your chapter excerpts, word clouds, and b...

If the Pierpont Morgan Library and Museum isn't responding, another method of research might be the New York Times' archives for listings of exhibitions from 1966 back until you find it - Billie's recollected one that is. If you do have access, you might also try any dates between 1924 and 1939 as w...

Hi Robert, Billie, I received a question on the TH weblog: As true tarot historians, perhaps you can tell me the year that the Morgan Library first displayed its Visconti Sforza cards? I believe I saw them in the early sixties, before I read Moakley's 1966 study. Have tried to contact the ML by e-ma...

It's almost certain the the Minchiate was derived from tarot. The difference between the decks is that the additional cards were all added... as a singular unit... into the pre-existing tarot deck. On the other hand, wouldn't the presence of an "Eastern Emperor" in the Minchiate deck cap ...

Actually, the same sphere that floats on Nabochodonasor is held in Alexander's hand: http://www.tarotpedia.com/wiki/Image:S14_Sola_Busca.jpg An example of "similar imagery used in different contexts in the same work"? :) Thanks for pointing that out. I would suggest it is a clear allusion...