Mystical Tarot

Mystical Tarot - 78 oil paintings in the Rider-Waite tradition

It is rare for someone to paint a full tarot deck in oil. Giuliano Costa did exactly that: 78 cards, each with the texture and depth you expect from a painting. The images follow the structure of the Rider-Waite, but the execution places them somewhere between a medieval altarpiece and a surrealist dream.

The result is a deck that is visually rich without becoming heavy. The colours are earthy, the compositions recognisable, but there is always a detail that does not quite sit the way you expect. That gives the cards a tension that works in readings.

What you see on the cards

The style recalls Renaissance art, particularly the Sola Busca tradition: sober, frontal figures in spaces that are not quite naturalistic. Costa adds something of his own. Shadows fall just slightly differently than they should. Faces are sometimes mask-like. Objects hover where they ought to rest.

Those small shifts make you look at a card longer. The oil painting technique helps with that. You see the texture, the build-up of layers, the way light is caught. These are not illustrations, they are paintings that have been photographed and printed.

All 78 cards have full scenes, including the minor arcana. The symbolism stays close to Rider-Waite, so anyone who knows that system will recognise the patterns immediately. Those who do not can still read the images without prior knowledge.

How you work with it

This deck asks for time. The details are subtle and often sit in the edges of the composition. Take a card, study it for a moment before you open the guidebook. The surrealist elements are sometimes just as useful as the classical symbols.

The format is standard, 70 by 121 millimetres, so shuffling and laying out feels familiar. The cardstock is sturdy enough for daily use. The finish is matte, not glossy, which suits the antique atmosphere.

Draw a card and first look at what does not quite fit in the scene. That detail, that small shift, is often the part that resonates most with the question.

About Giuliano Costa

Costa is an Italian artist who specialises in reinterpreting historical art styles. His work for this deck shows craftsmanship in composition and technique. Each painting has the care of a museum piece, applied to the structure of a tarot deck.

Specifications

• Artist: Giuliano Costa
• Number of cards: 78
• Format: 70 x 121 mm
• Material: High-quality cardstock
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9780738753782

Questions we often get

Does this deck follow the standard Rider-Waite meanings?
Yes. The structure and symbolism are based on Rider-Waite, so anyone who knows that system can use this deck immediately. The visual execution is different, but the core remains recognisable.

Is the oil painting style clearly visible on the printed cards?
Yes. The texture and the build-up of the paint come through well in the print. You see the painting technique, though it is of course not an original painting in your hands.