Visions of Duality - every card split into two perspectives
Every image in this oracle deck is literally divided in half. On the left side you see one narrative, on the right the opposite. Colour beside grey. Light beside dark. Joy beside grief.
Barbara Ciardo drew all 36 cards in a dreamlike, surrealist style reminiscent of symbolist painting. Riccardo Minetti wrote the accompanying text. The deck is published by Lo Scarabeo.
How the split images work
Each card asks you to see both halves at once. Not only the light part, not only the dark. The tension lies in the middle, where the two scenes meet.
That intersection often gives the most useful information. It is the place where you can view a situation from two sides without immediately choosing one.
The guidebook gives starting points for both perspectives per card. No fixed meanings, but directions in which you can think.
What the imagery shows
The illustrations are rich, sometimes crowded. Many cards contain human figures in unusual postures or environments. Others show landscapes that transform halfway.
The colours are saturated, almost artificially intense. This makes the contrasts sharper. A card can be warm orange on the left and cool blue on the right.
The style is not realistic. Proportions do not always match, perspectives shift. This fits the intention: this is about inner reality, not an exact reflection of the outer world.
Draw a card and first look only at the centre. Let your eye move quietly to left and right before you pick up the guidebook. What stands out as difference, what remains the same?
What this deck works for
This is a reflection tool. It works well when you are stuck between two options, or when you notice you are only seeing one side of a situation. The cards almost force you to look at the other half as well.
The format is large enough to see details clearly. This makes it suitable for slower readings where you take time with each card.
The guidebook assumes you already have some experience with oracle or tarot cards. There are no extensive instructions on how to do a spread.
About Riccardo Minetti and Barbara Ciardo
Riccardo Minetti writes for several Lo Scarabeo decks. He focuses on philosophical and psychological themes within oracle work.
Barbara Ciardo illustrates. Her style for this deck is layered and symbolic, with attention to colour and composition as carriers of meaning.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 36
- Card size: 88 x 125 mm
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- Guidebook language: multilingual, including English
- Box: two-piece lift-top box
- Card stock: sturdy, high quality
- Author: Riccardo Minetti
- Illustrator: Barbara Ciardo
Questions we often get
What is the difference between this deck and a standard oracle deck?
Every card is visually divided into two halves, each with its own perspective. Most oracle decks show one image per card. Here you always see two sides of the same theme next to each other.
Does the guidebook contain fixed meanings?
The guidebook gives starting points for both perspectives per card, but no strict definitions. You are encouraged to make your own connections between the two halves and your own situation.
