Deck Review: Le Tarot Arthurien

I’ve been SO excited about the incredibly talented Ana Tourian having not one, but two, stunning looking decks coming out (as well as the touted second edition of the infamous Bonestone Earthflesh Tarot!) I’m happy to say I now have both of them in my collection, and they do not disappoint. Here I’m reviewing the gorgeous Tarot Arthurien* that Tourian illustrated in collaboration with creator Claire Duval – and Tourian’s new solo deck, The Tarot of Echoes, will be coming up for review soon!

As you might have guessed, this deck is based on the legend(s) of King Arthur (particularly the works of the French poet Chrétien de Troyes), and all the artwork reflects characters and events from his various escapades. Duval writes about how Arthurien legends blended seamlessly with both her spirituality and her attachment to wild and natural spaces:

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“[As a child] I wanted to be guided by a fairy, master magic, and have my own supernatural sword to… protect those I loved”

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I think she’s absolutely on point here. There is so much rich pagan and Christian imagery and myth weaved into the tales of Arthur and his Court that mirrors and echoes a lot of that same imagery and myth that we see in the Tarot. This really is a match made in Heaven Avalon.

First things first, in case you hadn’t noticed(!), the deck is in French (Duval’s language). It’s very intuitive to read, so I don’t think this makes a huge deal to its useability, but for this reason it’s probably not an absolute beginner’s deck unless you are a French speaker. I’m also flagging this here as the translations from the French guidebook included below are based on my own schoolgirl French, so big apologies if I mangle Duval’s original words a bit! (My sister lives in France so my French is passable, but I am absolutely NOT fluent!)

The deck comes in a big old magnetic display box that then contains both the guidebook and a smaller clamshell box that holds the actual deck (meaning you can choose to keep everything stored in the display box, or just chuck it out and keep the smaller box if you’d prefer). The guidebook is a bit of a chonk; you get a full page colour image of each card, a brief description on the opposite page, and then a further two page spread on each card’s symbolism and meaning.

The card stock is good quality for a mass market deck – nice and sturdy, ultra mat finish (has that almost dusty feel), with robust looking gold gilt edges. The roses that adorn the back of the cards are inspired by the Round Table on display at Winchester Castle.

On to some of my favourite cards in Le Tarot Arthurien. I love this image of The Chariot as a constellation being pulled along by the two horses we see on many ‘traditional’ versions of the card. For me The Chariot is (partly) about ‘making one’s own fate’. Instead of waiting to see what is written in the stars for us, this depiction shows us taking charge – driving our own fates forward (or, rather, dragging them along for the ride!) I think it does a great job of capturing the sheer force of will represented by this card. Duvall notes that in medieval Brittany Ursa Major was often referred to as ‘King Arthur’s Cart’, expanding that she “like[s] the idea of a King Arthur who is awaiting his triumphant return from the starry sky“.

Temperance shows the OG Magician Merlin getting his alchemy on. Duval reminds us that Merlin is often depicted as the son of a human woman (sometimes a Christian Saint) and a demon/incubus, thus representing the blending of the Christian and the Pagan, as well as the mortal and the immortal. Duval observes that “this card brings healing via its ability to reconcile opposites and reactivate energy flows“.

And what else for Death but Arthur on his way to Avalon, watched over by Morgan le Fey? Not dead, but sleeping, waiting for when his land needs him the most. Thus by drawing on the infamous story of Le Morte d’Arthur the image captures the idea of both death and rebirth without going down the overly cheesy route that some ‘rebirth’ focussed decks favour.

The Aces in this deck are all divine; particular favourites are the flaming staff for the Ace of Wands and the brimming over Grail for the Ace of Cups. (Ah, the Holy Grail as the Ace of Cups. I just need a moment to appreciate how perfect that is!) Duval explains that the Grail, much like the Ace of Cups, represents “healing, abundance, inspiration, and wisdom“.

I’ve commented here before that I generally prefer a more positive take on the Five of Wands than perhaps is strictly the perceived wisdom. The card is often taken to represent pointless competition: showing disharmony, discord, conflict leading to confusion, and lack of progress – a hot mess, basically. However, I see a little ‘friendly’ competition as vital to success. If we don’t hone our skills by testing them against others in ‘practice bouts’, then they won’t necessarily pass muster when we need to use them in a ‘real’ fight (literally or metaphorically!) So, I like the idea of two warriors taking part in a joust to perfect their skillset. Jousts are pretty performative – and they can be deadly! – but they also play an important role in helping knights to perfect their fighting technique. The Seven of Wands shows Gawain undergoing various trials in order to free the women of the enchanted castle from their curse, cleverly depicting “the valour and courage needed to defend your position“. And in the Eight of Wands we see Papillon, a magic horse who moves so fast he cuts through the air.

The Four of Swords once again depicts Merlin, who “regularly retreats to his beloved forest to recharge his batteries, far from men and their stories“. The Ten of Cups shows Avalon itself, the land of eternal happiness. And I love the quiet domesticity in the Eight of Pents, which shows the work table of Morgan le Fey: “it is through hard work and long training that she has acquired her precious knowledge and developed her reputation as a powerful healer“.

I LOVE me a chess playing King of Swords, and Le Tarot Athurien not only obliges me, but also gives me a chess-y Queen of Swords and a diptych to enjoy! The King & Queen of Swords here are depicted as Iseult’s parents, the monarchs of Ireland – both of who strove to be wise, insightful, and fair.

I struggle to imagine an Ana Tourian illustrated deck I wouldn’t adore, but this really is a lushly beautiful deck that takes images from legend and fits them to the message of the Tarot in a really clever and satisfying way. I 100% recommend it!

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_{*I hate to link to The Evil Empire, but it’s the only place I can find this lovely deck in the UK}