Fenestra Tarot - Art Deco frames and Egyptian symbolism in watercolour
Most Rider-Waite decks let the imagery run across the whole card. This deck places it within a frame. That one difference changes how you look at a reading: each card becomes a window, a bounded field of view.
Fenestra Tarot is designed by Chatriya Hemharnvibul, a Thai illustrator who combines watercolour with influences from Art Deco, manga and Egyptian mythology. The name Fenestra is Latin for 'window'. The cards are built on the Rider-Waite structure, but the imagery is softer, drier, more sepia than colour.
What you see on the cards
The figures are often drawn androgynously. No sharp gender markers, but recognisable human postures and emotions. The watercolour layers sometimes bleed, sometimes stop abruptly at the edge of a shape. This gives a dreamlike quality without everything becoming vague.
The Art Deco influence sits in the geometric details and the frames themselves. Egyptian symbols return in clothing, attributes and backgrounds. The colours are mostly warm: ochre, sepia, soft rose, with occasional accents in deep blue or green.
The card back shows a rose motif, symmetrically designed so you can read reversed cards if you want to.
How this deck relates to Rider-Waite
The structure is classic: 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana divided across four suits. The symbolism follows Rider-Waite, so if you have a basic tarot book, you can work with this deck without having to relearn what a card means.
What is different is the atmosphere. Where Rider-Waite sometimes shows direct contrasts, this deck dampens the tone. That makes it less confrontational, but also less dramatic. Whether you find that pleasant depends on what you are looking for in a reading.
Lay a card in front of you and look first only at the frame. Then let your gaze move inward, as if stepping through a window. That rhythm fits how this deck is designed.
About Chatriya Hemharnvibul
Chatriya Hemharnvibul works as an illustrator and combines Eastern spirituality with Western tarot symbolism. Her background in illustration is visible in how she draws facial expressions: subtle, without exaggeration, with room for interpretation.
For this deck she chose to draw figures that are not immediately readable as male or female. That makes the cards more universal and less bound to traditional roles.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78 (22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana)
- Language: English (cards and Little White Book)
- Card size: 70 x 120 mm
- Finish: Glossy laminated
- Cardstock quality: Sturdy, suitable for daily use
- Card back: Symmetrical rose motif
- Guidebook: Little White Book with basic interpretations and Celtic Cross spread
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
- Artist: Chatriya Hemharnvibul
Questions we often get
Can I use this deck if I am just starting with tarot?
Yes. It follows the Rider-Waite structure, so any standard tarot guide works with it. The imagery is softer than classic RWS, which some beginners find more pleasant because it feels less overwhelming.
How sturdy are the cards with daily use?
The cards are laminated and printed on sturdy cardstock. They hold up well with regular shuffling. The glossy finish may show slight wear at the edges over time, but the images remain intact.
