Sortilegium Tarot

Sortilegium Tarot - baroque tarot with gothic linework

There are tarot decks you recognise immediately as Rider-Waite-Smith. This is one. Yet the Sortilegium Tarot feels different. The cards are darker, the symbolism sharper, and the details ask you to look longer.

Natalia Velez, a Colombian artist, designed all 78 cards. She uses deep blacks, gold and earthy colours. The result recalls old etchings or engraved prints from a gothic manuscript.

What you see on the cards

The structure is familiar: 22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana divided across four suits. But the imagery is more personal and psychological than a classic RWS deck.

Anatomical details recur. Plants, animals, minerals are deliberately deployed as symbols. Duality, transformation and the tension between life and death are recurring themes. Every detail is chosen, nothing is there by chance.

The lines are fine, almost engraved. The colour palette is restrained, which gives the cards a solemn, concentrated atmosphere. This is not a deck you scan quickly. You look longer.

How you work with it

The guidebook is written by Velez herself. She explains card meanings from her own artistic perspective and adds unique spreads. Because the structure follows RWS, you can also consult other tarot books if you wish.

This deck lends itself to shadow work and self-reflection. The dark, detailed imagery makes hidden patterns visible. This is not a deck for light daily questions. That intensity is exactly what makes it strong.

Lay one card aside and write down what you see, without consulting the guidebook. Then read Velez's explanation. The difference between your own associations and her interpretation can be surprisingly insightful.

About Natalia Velez

Natalia Velez is a Colombian artist with a gothic, baroque signature. She combines esoteric symbolism with anatomical and natural elements. Her work for the Sortilegium Tarot shows how she brings together traditional tarot structure and highly idiosyncratic imagery.

Specifications

• Author and illustrator: Natalia Velez
• Publisher: U.S. Games Systems
• ISBN: 9781646711314
• Type: Tarot, 78 cards (22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana)
• Language: English
• Weight: 290 g
• Card dimensions: 70 x 120 mm
• Contents: 78 tarot cards and guidebook

Questions we often get

I already know the Rider-Waite-Smith. Is this deck still interesting for me?
Yes. The structure is the same, but the imagery is so personal and detailed that you learn to read the cards anew. That makes it interesting for those who already have experience but seek a different angle.

How dark is this deck exactly?
The Sortilegium Tarot has a pronounced gothic style with abundant black, gold and symbolism around death, transformation and duality. That suits self-reflection and shadow work. If you prefer to work with light, colourful cards, this is not your deck.