Lenormand della Luna - Paradoxical Edition - inverted colours, high-contrast imagery
Anyone familiar with the Classic edition of the Lenormand della Luna will recognise Patrick Valenza's work immediately. But the Paradoxical Edition is not a colour variation made for aesthetic variety. Valenza inverts the colour values: shadows become light, light areas become dark. What was muted now glows. What was hidden steps forward.
Where the Classic uses earth tones and sepia-coloured backgrounds that feel like a found antique document, the Paradoxical Edition works with dark or intensely coloured backgrounds and accents in neon pink, blue or green. The contrast is sharp enough to read symbols from across a table at a glance.
What you see on the cards
The 36 cards follow the traditional Petit Lenormand system: House, Tree, Snake, and every other familiar symbol is present. Valenza draws his figures by hand and combines them with photographic textures, weathered surfaces, gravestones, and industrial material. In the Paradoxical Edition those textures push forward through the high contrast.
Collectors of earlier Paradoxical versions report that the cards appear to glow under certain light. Some editions react to UV light. Whether that applies to this specific edition is not confirmed in the available information.
Bridge size: a deliberate choice
The cards measure approximately 57 x 89 mm, smaller than a standard tarot card. That is intentional: the Grand Tableau uses all 36 cards at once, spread across a table. This format makes the full layout fit on a regular table without cards hanging over the edge.
The set includes a folded Meaning Sheet with short keywords compiled by Valenza himself. Not an extensive guidebook, but a quick reference to consult during a reading.
The tin box is more than packaging. It keeps the cards together and protects them properly, which matters if you carry the deck with you regularly.
About Patrick Valenza
Patrick Valenza created the Deviant Moon Tarot, one of the most recognisable tarot decks of the past two decades. His work draws from childhood dreams, old cemeteries and psychiatric institutions. He combines hand-drawn figures with photographic textures to produce imagery that sits far from the polished digital style common in contemporary deck design.
Through his company Deviant Moon Inc., based at 'The Asylum' in New York, he publishes his decks independently. Small print runs, no intermediaries, full control over quality and production.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 36
- System: Petit Lenormand
- Size: Bridge size, approx. 57 x 89 mm
- Packaging: Tin box
- Extras: Folded Meaning Sheet with keywords
- Author and illustrator: Patrick Valenza
- Publisher: Deviant Moon Inc.
- Edition: Paradoxical Edition (limited print run)
Questions we often get
What is the difference between this and the Classic edition of the Lenormand della Luna?
The underlying artwork is identical. The difference is in the colour treatment. The Classic uses muted earth tones and a nostalgic atmosphere. The Paradoxical inverts the colour values: shadows become light, backgrounds turn dark or strongly coloured, and the contrast is significantly higher. Same DNA, completely different experience.
Does a full guidebook come with the cards?
No. The Paradoxical Edition includes a folded Meaning Sheet with short keywords per card, compiled by Valenza. An extended Lenormand guidebook with spreads or detailed symbol descriptions is not included.
