Tarot History Forum

Thank you Lorredan, another great image from you!
Here there is a picture of this triumph of Death in its entirety.
I have found on this German page a transcription of the texts on the fresco:

The Old and Poor on the left: POI CHE PROSPERTITA/ CIA LASCIATI OMORTE/ MEDICINA AOGNI PENA VIECI/ ADARE OMAI LULTIMA CENA, (since prosperity has left us, oh death, medicine for all suffering, come and give us our last supper)

Death: IO NON BRAMO SE NON DI SPEGNER VITA E CHI MI CHIAMA LE PIUVOLTE SCHIVO/ GIUNGENDO SPESSO A CHI MI TORCIE IL GRIFO (my only desire is to extinguish life, and I ignore those who invoke me many times, I often go to those who try to avoid me)

The two Young and Rich men on the right: QUANTE DOLCIE MONDO CHI SA PAGASSE / TU DICI BENVERO SE PROSPERITA DURASSE, (First man: this world is so sweet to those who enjoy it / Second man: you would say the truth, if prosperity could last)

Christ: O TU CHE LEGGI PON CHURA AI COLPI DI CHOSTEI CH OCISE ME CHESO SIGNIOR DI LEI. (you who read, take care of the strikes of this one: she killed me even if I am her lord)

Thank you Marco for that investigation and posting the enlarged picture and words.
I have two queries as a result. In your translation Christ calls Death "She". I have never heard that before.
The pamphlet date I have for the execution of the work is 1382 and your site says much earlier 1330-1340,
I am wondering which one is correct?
It is a wonderfully modern painting for whichever date and the Horse's eyes make it look like a warhorse for sure.
~Lorredan

Lorredan wrote:Thank you Marco for that investigation and posting the enlarged picture and words.
I have two queries as a result. In your translation Christ calls Death "She". I have never heard that before.
The pamphlet date I have for the execution of the work is 1382 and your site says much earlier 1330-1340,
I am wondering which one is correct?
It is a wonderfully modern painting for whichever date and the Horse's eyes make it look like a warhorse for sure.
~Lorredan

Hello Lorredan,
about the dates, I am afraid I cannot help, I don't have time to research the subject now. But the German site with the transcriptions also says "1351/1400".
Since "la morte" is feminine, in Italian art it is generally depicted as a woman. For instance in Petrarch's Triumph of Death she appears as "una donna involta in veste negra" ("a woman shrouded in a dress of black").

A lovely image from tumblr today:



The caption read:
Ars bene moriendi, France 1470-1480.
Marseille, Bibliothèque municipale, ms. 89, fol. 63r

Hi friends,

nice picture.

The arrow is related with the Black Death, which gave rise, or at least encouraged, the dance of death.

Its interesting the death of PMB has a bow and arround 1450-51 Milan and Pavia suffered great epidemics of plague.

I like this Triumph of Death a lot because of the inclusion of the Magician.

British Library, Harley 2953, f 20 (Triumph of Death). Psalter. Germany (S., Ausburg?), 1st half of the 16th century

Triumph of Death from The art of dying by Girolamo Savonarola, Floroence c1495.

The Pierpont-Morgan-Bergamo-tarocchi has a Death card with an unusual bow.

A book with a collection of texts, which also include the 6 "Trionfi" poems of Petrarca, has a Death picture with bow and arrows.
Death combined with bow and arrows is not very rare, but it is rare in the Petrarca Trionfi pictures, possibly cause the attribute bow and arrow is given to the Trionfo Love. Petrarca's death figures have usually a scythe.
In the same text there is an Eternity figure, which presents the Final Judgment motif which is also part of the Pierpont-Morgan-Bergamo-tarocchi.
Compare ... viewtopic.php?f=23&t=403&p=26058#p26058

The book with the unusual Petrarca pictures was discussed in July-August 2023 in the thread "Petrarca Trionfi poem motifs in early Trionfi decks" post 87 ff ....
viewtopic.php?p=26053#p26053

The book is ... Manusript Barb.lat. 3954
https://digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Barb.lat.3954/0321
.... commentaries are given at ...
https://petrarch.mml.ox.ac.uk/item/1512
.... titled "Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Barb. Lat. 3954"
.... also at ...
http://www.mirabileweb.it/manuscript-ro ... RDP_214673