Tarot Emblemata by Nitasia Roland Review

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this deck in exchange for an honest review.

Several weeks ago, Weiser reached out asking if I would be interested in reviewing several of their latest tarot decks, to which I enthusiastically agreed, especially once I saw the lineup. One of these decks includes Tarot Emblemata by Nitasia Roland, who was inspired to create this unique tarot deck after deep diving into Renaissance emblems.

Unlike traditionally illustrated decks, Tarot Emblemata uses 16th-century, French emblems attributed to Bernard Salomon, which were published by Jean de Tournes and Guillaume Gazeau in 1551. Roland meticulously cleaned up dozens of images from books, museum scans, and other resources, helping to preserve art well beyond its time. I cannot begin to describe how important this beautiful memorial is to preserving otherwise forgotten works.

Much like tarot, these emblems held significant cultural meaning, meanings similar to those found within the tarot. Each card contains an inscriptio, pictura, and subscriptio that aligns with the traditional tarot meanings. Most of the cards contain the original inscriptio and subscriptio, but Roland has changed a few to better suit the card's meaning. These new images provide an alternative way to view the cards, which, along with their inscriptio and subscriptio, provide a unique tarot reading experience that will delight new and old practitioners alike.

When I first opened this deck, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the illustration choices. I am not going to lie, tarot is not something I really use in my practice, and I don't read the cards often. Because of this, I do not have a particularly strong understanding of each card nor a pull to any card in particular. At first glance, these cards seemed more difficult to read and understand than traditional Rider-Waite tarot, but once I took the time to actually look at the details of each emblem and read the subscript, everything started to fall into place. I had many an 'ah-ha!' moment as I flipped through the cards, details clicking into place the more I studied each card.

Tarot Emblemata contains 83 traditional tarot cards, as well as 5 oracle cards to help clarify your readings. All five are beautifully illustrated and an excellent addition to this already gorgeous deck. I think more tarot creators should follow suit and add some clarifying oracle cards to their decks. Yes, I know more cards seem like a lot when there are already so many, but sometimes a unique perspective is needed.

As with other decks, Roland has included a magnificent guidebook which not only breaks down the card's meaning, but also gives a brief history of the emblem shown and its associated motto. This is such a refreshing take on a tired concept that I found myself reading about each card as I sat on the floor after photographing the deck. I sat so long flipping through its pages that my husband had to order dinner because I had completely forgotten about time!

Finally, these cards are sturdy and likely to hold up with repeated use. I have handled and reviewed many decks over the years, and these cards are among the best quality-wise. The edges are decked in a shiny rose gold, which will likely wear off over time with repeated use, but the cards themselves will hold up just fine.

If you are looking for a new approach to the tarot, Tarot Emblemata by Nitasia Roland is the deck for you. I highly recommend checking out this labor of love and seeing where the cards take you!

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