The Sola Busca (or Giordano in the Giardino)

Published by Alison Cross on

Earwigging on academic chit chat
Giordano Berti and Caitlin Matthews
©someone on the tour

Another reason that I was desperate to take part in the Tarot Tour of Italy was the thought of perhaps linking up with Giordano Berti.  This gregarious author, historian and deck creator has been a charming facebook friend for AGES and we have bonded over our mutual love of toasted hazelnuts from Cavanzana 🙂

One of his many talents is as custodian* of the most marvellous Wolfgang Mayer 78-card Sola Busca Tarot.  If you have been keeping up with my posts on the Tarot Tour of Italy (*looks wounded* You haven’t?!) you will know that on Day One I basically died and went to heaven after seeing the Sola Busca Tarot in the FLESH.

I already own a Lo Scarabeo copy, which is fine …. but I really, REALLY wanted a full copy with BIG cards and CLARITY.  Truthfully, I wanted to steal the original from the Brera!  The Mayer deck is the very next best thing, I promise you…

Queen of Cups – Polisena
depicted her slightly larger than card life-size

So, before I departed for Italy, I purchased a copy of the Mayer Sola Busca from Giordano (copies still available folks!) and arranged to pick it up from him in person in Italy!

Would this be tricky to organise?!

I floated the idea of meeting up with Giordano to Arnell Ando, our Tour Leader.  Our days were too packed to the gunwales to be pencilling in detours for one person….. but maybe there was something that could be done, she reassured me.

Good as her word, I was delighted to spot, a short time later,  amongst the lists of authors and artists that we would meet up with in the Tarot Museum Garden Party, the magical name …. Giordano Berti!

Of course, I expected to spend even less time chatting with Giordano (who has excellent English and many projects to discuss!) than with deck creator Alexander Daniloff but I had a whisky glass and miniature bottle to give him, so I knew that I was guaranteed at least a little while with him!  Booze.  Opens many doors.  Also irritates many Heathrow Security men …..

We meet – there is the kissing and hugging.  I was introduced to the lovely Letizia Rivetti of Art Studio Letizia who accompanied Giordano. He produced a large brown package that contained a beautiful blue book-shaped box and a book called ‘Il Monte dei Folletti’ or ‘Goblin Mountain’ (It’s in Italian, so I REALLY am going to have to get to grips with the language!).

I offer the shot glass and whisky in exchange for the package which he is delighted to receive (as am I!) and we set off for some photos to the crowded interior of the Tarot Museum.

Now, dear Reader, I am not a fan of getting my photo taken but Signor Berti is a consummate expert.  As you can tell.  He looks great in every shot and I look…. well, you can see for yourself.  Photos by Letizia!

Yes, I haz blinked.
What am I trying to do with my arms?

EYES ARE OPEN!! TOO OPEN!
oh God, check out that rictus grin – I’m too nervous….
Does this pose help?…
Aha! Looking a bit more natural, yes?
At last! We get the perfect shot!
And ignore my money belt under my t-shirt, it’s adding POUNDS to me 🙂

I very much look forward to meeting up with Giordano on my NEXT visit to Italy – perhaps further exchanges of toasted hazelnuts for whisky? Hopefully I’ll be able to make good on that promise of ‘due birre’ that I have spent months practising on him!

*I say ‘custodian’ because the deck was actually printed in 1998 by the late Wolfgang Meyer.  You can buy copies of Mayer’s deck from Giordano in the most gorgeous boxes from Giordano’s website, with a limited edition card (one of 700) signed by Mayer and includes a booklet (English and Italian) about the deck, written by Giordano.

How many more posts about the Italy holiday can you stand, I wonder? 😀

Categories: Uncategorised

Alison Cross

The Tarot's Court Cards are my specialist area.  They talk to me. Not LITERALLY though ....

4 Comments

Inner Whispers · 21st May 2015 at 5:02 pm

I can stand a lot of posts on this subject. So cool you got to go!

    Alison Cross · 21st May 2015 at 9:40 pm

    Don't worry, just a couple more and that will be me done lol! It was 'spensive, but I really enjoyed it!!

Ania · 21st May 2015 at 2:56 pm

The last pic is definitely 'the one" 😀

    Alison Cross · 21st May 2015 at 9:40 pm

    I'm ok with snaps, but in posed pix I end up feeling (and looking!) goofy! You should have seen my wedding pix lol!

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