Sacred Rose Tarot Deck - stained glass symbolism with Kabbalistic depth
Not every tarot deck chooses this visual direction. The Sacred Rose Tarot is built on the symbolism of medieval stained glass windows, with clear colour fields separated by black lines. That gives the cards a static, almost liturgical presence.
Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman designed this deck in the early nineties. She drew on Byzantine icons, medieval art and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Central to each image is the rose as a symbol of wisdom, transformation and the sacred feminine.
What you see on the cards
Every detail is clearly bounded. The colours are strong: deep red, cobalt blue, gold, emerald green. The figures have a flat, iconic rendering without depth or shadow, which puts the emphasis on symbolism rather than realism.
The Major Arcana follow the Rider-Waite structure, but the imagery retreats into religious art. The Minor Arcana are fully illustrated with scenes in which the rose and other natural elements recur. The court cards wear medieval robes and stand in stiff, formal poses.
The guidebook contains card meanings and an introduction by Stuart R. Kaplan, founder of U.S. Games Systems. He describes how Gargiulo-Sherman incorporated the Kabbalistic paths into the structure of the deck.
How this deck works in practice
The images are direct. That makes them suitable for quick readings when you want to see a direction straight away. The symbolism is rich, but not hermetic: you do not need knowledge of Kabbalah to work with this deck.
Many people use it for meditation. The stained glass style has something calming, almost like a prayer room. The deck also lends itself well to daily cards, because the images are clear enough to interpret without a book.
Lay the cards out in natural light. The colours come forward more sharply and the stained glass effect becomes more tangible.
About Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman
Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman is an artist and tarot creator. She studied art history and mystical traditions, which is visible in the layered quality of her work. In addition to the Sacred Rose Tarot, she also designed the Alchemical Tarot Renewed, in which she again brings together iconography and spiritual systems.
Her work revolves around translating esoteric content into images that are both decorative and functional. She often chooses styles that evoke recognition, such as the medieval art that many know from churches or museums.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78
- Card size: 70 x 120 mm
- Cardstock quality: sturdy, smooth finish
- Language on cards: no text on the cards themselves (except titles on Major Arcana)
- Guidebook language: English
- Guidebook: included booklet with card meanings and foreword by Stuart R. Kaplan
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems
- Artist: Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman
- First published: 1992
Questions we often get
Do I need knowledge of Kabbalah to use this deck?
No. The Kabbalistic structure sits in the background of the design, but the cards can be read without that knowledge. The images speak for themselves.
How does this deck relate to the Rider-Waite?
The structure and order are the same. The imagery is different: where Rider-Waite is narrative, this deck chooses a more symbolic, static rendering inspired by religious art.
