Celtic Tarot LS

Celtic Tarot - two artists, one mythology

If you expect a Celtic deck with one continuous visual language, this is not it. The Celtic Tarot assigns the Major and Minor Arcana to two different artists, and that is immediately the most interesting thing about this deck.

Giuseppe Gaudenzi drew the Major Arcana. He chose monumental compositions, dark tones and figures that feel like statues from Celtic legend. Saverio Tenuta handled the Minor Arcana, lighter in colour, more fluid in line, closer to everyday life within the Celtic world.

The deck is published by Lo Scarabeo and follows the traditional tarot structure of 78 cards. All cards have a glossy finish and are printed on sturdy cardstock. The style recalls fantasy illustration from the late nineties: dynamic, slightly theatrical, focused on movement.

What you see on the cards

The imagery draws heavily on Irish and British legends. You see druids, warriors, sacred trees, animals that act as guides. Nature is central: landscapes with mist, stone circles, water that marks boundaries between worlds.

The Major Arcana have heavier colour use, more dark green, dark blue, earthy brown. The composition is often frontal, with emphasis on the face or posture of the figure. The Minor Arcana are brighter, with more movement in the scenes and more space around the characters.

That difference takes some getting used to. Some people find it jarring, others appreciate that each half of the deck has its own energy.

How you work with it

This deck does not require deep knowledge of Celtic mythology. The symbolism is recognisable enough to work with intuitively. It does help to pay attention during a reading to the environment the figure on the card inhabits: what is growing, what is standing still, which animal is watching.

The multilingual guidebook gives short interpretations per card, enough to get started. No in-depth stories, but concrete starting points.

Notice the difference between a Major and Minor Arcana card in a reading. The first often indicates a theme or archetype, the second shows how it manifests concretely in your situation.

About Giuseppe Gaudenzi and Saverio Tenuta

Giuseppe Gaudenzi worked frequently for Lo Scarabeo and is known for his strength in portraying archetypal figures. Saverio Tenuta has a background in comics and fantasy illustration, which is reflected in the fluid narrative style of the Minor Arcana.

Specifications

• Number of cards: 78
• Format: standard tarot size
• Finish: glossy cardstock
• Language: multilingual, including English
• Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
• Artists: Giuseppe Gaudenzi (Major Arcana), Saverio Tenuta (Minor Arcana)
• Guidebook: multilingual instruction booklet with short card descriptions

Questions we often get

Why are the Major and Minor Arcana so different in style?
Because two artists each drew their own section. Gaudenzi focused on the archetypal power of the Major Arcana, Tenuta on the narrative side of the Minor Arcana. It is a deliberate choice by the publisher, not an inconsistency.

Do I need to know a lot about Celtic mythology to use this deck?
No. The images work even without specific knowledge. It does deepen your reading if you know who Cernunnos is, for example, or what a triquetra means, but that is not a requirement.