Last modified Nov. 2, 2024
Franco Pratesi has an impressive list
of publications on the history of the tarot and playing cards generally that goes back to 1986, both in print
publications and on various websites, including his own at http://www.naibi.net/.
However, many of the most important, especially in the last ten years
or
so, are in Italian
only. In an effort to make his research more widely available, I have
been translating selected essays and notes into English, starting with
Google Translate and then correcting it by my understanding of
Italian grammar and reference to online dictionaries for the word that
fits the context best. Even then, I have routinely been going to Franco
himself for advice on certain passages, especially in translating old
documents, the proportion of which increased dramatically in 2023 and
after. I have tried to make the English
conform as closely as possible to the original Italian, sometimes
resulting in awkward transitions in English but which in the development
of ideas
follow the Italian. For safety's sake, any quotations by
others of my translations should
probably include the original Italian, since I do not guarantee the
accuracy of my admittedly amateur work (or the combination of two
amateurs).
At the right of this introduction on the web-page is a list of months
and years. These are mostly when I posted a particular essay. The essays
themselves, with only a few exceptions, are
arranged in the order in which Franco published them on the internet,
going down from later to earlier. So for essays dated
earlier than those in a given month (when
I posted the translation), it is necessary to click on an earlier
month, until the desired note is found - or else use the link in this
introduction, where I have listed the notes or essays by subject-matter,
the subjects arranged more or less by when Franco addressed these
subjects, earlier below later.
For the list on the right in this blog, there are two exceptions to my rule of listing them chronologically in order of publication. One is a series of articles by Franco originally published in Italian in the The Playing-Card, the journal of the International Playing Card Society. They are mostly about 18th century books on how to play minchiate, the game with the expanded tarot deck of 97 cards. When I resumed translating his work in 2023 (after he paused his research in 2017), I didn't notice them and didn't leave space for them in the series. So they are all together in my postings for June of 2024, along with what seems to have been the last one in that series, a note first published on naibi.net on a book in German containing a chapter on minchiate.
The other exception is a series of four notes on 18th-century Milanese tarocchi. Franco posted his originals in July-August 2023, but I didn't translate them until July of 2024. I left them for last because they seemed to involve the most technical terms and would be the hardest to translate, and you will find them posted in that month here.
I have written introductions to each
translation, in most
cases rather short. In some of the blog-posts, after the translation
and in the same post, I
have put my own reflections on Franco's note or thoughts relating to the
same theme. I also have comments in square brackets within the note
itself, for clarification, after first consulting with Franco. Both the
translation and my comments
originally appeared on Tarot History Forum, then pasted onto the blog
for a more orderly arrangement, as they are scattered in various threads
there. Some received discussion by Forum participants. In those cases, I
have given a link to the Forum post.
To get to a particular translation in this blog, click on either the title in English, if underlined, or the link after the title. You will notice that the link title sometimes suggests something other than the essay in question. That is because, forgetting how Google blogs work, I had to occasionally move essays around to keep them in order, and Google doesn't change the link to fit the new title.
- Information from inventory and other account records in Tuscany (14 entries)
Sept. 30, 2024: Florence 1636 and 1637 - Gambling Accounts of Grand Duke Ferdinand II, originally Firenze 1636 e 1637 - Conti di gioco del granduca Ferdinando II (30.09.2024). Found by Franco in the vast Medicea Miscellany, a series of balance sheets, transcribed verbatim (and translated the same way), show considerable sums being spent, but are they by the Grand Duke or others'?
Aug. 28, 2024: The Countess's embroidered trionfi. Originally 1505 - Trionfi ricamati della contessa (28.08.2024).
An instance of "a pack of trionfi, embroidered, on parchment" in a 1505
inventory of the possessions of Ginevra Pico, daughter of Antonio Pico,
granddaughter of Ginevra Sforza and Julia Boiardo. great-granddaughter
of Alessandro Sforza.
Aug. 25, 2024. Florence 1430: Naibi found again. Originally Firenze 1430: naibi ritrovati (25.08.2024).
An instance of "naibi" (early name for playing cards) in successive
inventories, with comments on why such entries are so rare.
July 28, 2024: 1498 – Trionfi, books of the Tornabuoni. Originally Firenze 1498 – Trionfi, libri dei Tornabuoni (28.07.2024). Two inheritance inventories of this illustrious Florentine family, each singling out a copy of Petrarch's Trionfi for special mention while leaving other titles unsaid.
July 24, 2024: 1480s - Triumphs in Florence and Pistoia. Originally Anni 1480 Trionfi a Firenze e Pistoia (24.07.2024) Two inheritance inventories mentioning Trionfi, Petrarch's and otherwise, the second with a commentary.
July 21, 2024: Poppiano 1523 - Rather arcane triumphs. Originally Poppiano 1523 – Trionfi piuttosto arcani (21.07.2024). An entry in an inheritance inventory made mysterious for its Xs: "Un paio di triomphi del XX . . ."
"Florence 1736-1737. Accounts in the shop of the abbot" (April 2, 2024) at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2024/05/april-2-2024-florence-736-1737-accounts.html. The original, "Firenze 1736-1737. Conti della bottega dell’abate," is at https://www.naibi.net/A/BOTTEGA.pdf.
"Florence 1472-1474. Worn-out naibi and triumphs in a bag" (Feb. 23, 2024), at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2024/02/blank_22.html. Franco's original at Firenze 1472-1474. Naibi tristi e trionfi in un sacchetto (23.02.2024).
"Pontormo 1479. Playing cards in a haberdasher's house" (Feb. 22, 2024), at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2024/02/blank_14.html. Original at
8/06. Pontormo 1479. Carte da gioco nella casa di un merciaio (22.02.2024).
"Florence 1426. Naibi in a large family" (Feb. 12, 2024), at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2024/02/blank.html. Original is Firenze 1426. Naibi in una grande famiglia (12.02.2024).
"Florence 1462: Playing Cards in a dry goods Store" (Dec. 2, 2023), https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2023/12/florence-1462-playing-cards-in-dry.html. Original is "Firenze 1462: carte da gioco in una merceria" (02.12.2023)
"Florence - Three account books of the 1400s" (October 18, 2023), at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2023/12/october-18-2023-florence-three-account.html. Original Firenze – Tre libri di conti del Quattrocento (18.10.2023).
"1499-1506: New information on Florentine cards" (April, 2015) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/april-2015-new-information-on.html. Original is (1499-1506: Firenze - Nuove informazioni sulle carte fiorentine. The Playing-Card, Vol. 44, No. 1 (2015) 61-71)
- Historical (18th-early 19th century) books or booklets on how to play Minchiate (10 entries).
-
Information from academies, literati, entertainers, poets, educators (15 entries)
Dec. 2, 2023: 1700s in Florence: Conversations in the casino of St. Trinita. Originally Settecento a Firenze: Conversazione del Casino di Santa Trinita (02.12.2023). The
"conversations" here are social interactions in a setting reserved for
the nobility, including games with cards supplied by the house. Franco
documents a squabble among players and, among loose sheets of paper, the
purchases of playing cards by this social club.
October 16, 2023: Games played with tarocchi in the seventeenth century. Originally Giuochi che si fanno con le carte ‒ nel Seicento (16.10.2023).
The "games" here are card tricks, delineated in a book not easy to
decipher. However, we have figured out all but one of the explanations
for hohe tricks are done.
April-June 2019: Pocket atlas and minchiate from 1780. Originally Atlante tascabile e minchiate del 1780. The Playing-Card, Vol. 47, No. 4 (2019). This is about a minchiate deck with maps of various regions of the world on its cards and geographical information instead of the usual images, for the purpose of learning geography as one plays.
Information from the taxation system in Tuscany (7 entries)
Oct. 2, 2024. 1785 and 1786 - Sale of playing cards in Tuscany, originally 1785 e 1786 - Vendita di carte da gioco in Toscana.
This is from records of the Playing Cards Tax Stamp Company, a division
of the grand-ducal administration, showing types of decks received by
the Administration, how many of each, and where and how many sold, in
various locales of Tuscany outside of Florence as well as their
Florentine producers.
"Florence 1743-1778: Licenses for games" (Jan. 20, 2024), https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2024/02/jan-20-2024.html, Franco's original is at Firenze 1743-1778. Le licenze sui giochi (20.01.2024)).
"Florence 1843-1845. Foreign cards and bureaucracy" (Jan. 2, 2024) https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2024/01/. Original at Firenze 1843-1845. Carte forestiere e burocrazia (02.01.2024).
"Florence 1814: Restoration, also for playing cards" (Jan. 2, 2024), https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2024/01/jan-2-2024-florence-1814-restoration.html. Original at Firenze 1814: Restaurazione, anche per le carte da gioco (02.01.2024).
"Florence 1766 - Domenico Aldini under investigation (November 21, 2023), at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2023/12/november-21-2023-florence-1766.html. Franco's original is at Firenze 1766 - Domenico Aldini sotto inchiesta (21.11.2023) .
"Reform of the stamp duty on cards (October 31, 2023), at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2023/12/october-31-2023-reform-of-bolo-on-cards.html. Franco's original is at Firenze 1781: riforma del bollo sulle carte (31.10.2023).
"Cortona 1767-1781 - Playing Cards in Customs" (October 25, 2023), at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2023/12/october-25-2023-cortona-1767-1781.html. Franco's original is Cortona 1767-1781 – Carte da gioco in Dogana (25.10.2023).
- Information from 18th-early 19th century almanacs, booklets, or book chapters in Lombardy addressing tarocchi (7 entries)
Aug. 20, 2023: Brescia 1786 - almanac on the tarot. Franco's original is Brescia 1786 – Almanacco sul tarocco (20.08.2023). This is the earliest of various short Lombard tracts on how to play tarocchi well. It either shows a very primitive approach to the game, close to superstition, or else (more likely) is meant as a joke.
Aug. 18, 2023: Instructions for the Milanese game of tarocchi (1793-1827). Original: Istruzioni per il gioco milanese di tarocchi (1793-1827) (18.08.2023). Comparison of the 1793 book with the next one seen with similar contents, from 1827.
Aug. 3, 2023: More Lombard editions from Court de Gebelin. Originally Più edizioni lombarde da Court de Gébelin (03.08.2023). This is a follow-up on the note listed immediately below this one, promulgating the ideas of de Gébelin on the origin of the tarot, with a lengthy quotation from Leopold Cigognara.
July 11, 2023: The game of tarocchi - Milan 1789 and 1792. Original: Il Giuoco de’ tarocchi ‒ Milano 1789 e 1792 (11.07.2023). Quotations in the 1793 book from an earlier book of 1789 reprinted 1792, with the 1793 author's comments, usually contemptuous.
July 10, 2023: For one who plays tarocchi - Milan 1793. Original: Per chi tarocca ‒ Milano 1793 (10.07.2023). Table of contents and extensive quotation and summary of contents, one part on strategy quite different from the 1794 and 1811.
July 5, 2023: Ideas of an Egyptian: Cremona 1795. Originally Idee di un egiziano. Cremona 1795 (05.07.2023). Court de Gébelin's ideas summarized in a publication in Cremona.July 1, 2023: Milan 1794: an unknown book on tarocchi. Original: Milano 1794: uno sconosciuto libro sui tarocchi (01.07.2023).
Table of contents and sample passages from the text, compared with an
1811 version that is seen to be similar, despite not appearing so at the
outset. Mostly concerns penalties for fouls.
Information from laws and criminal records in Tuscany (6 entries)
"1426-1440 Florence: Convictions for card games in the Books of the Lily" (Nov. 26, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/nov-26-2016-1426-1440-florence.html (1426-1440: Firenze - Condanne per giochi di carte nei Libri del Giglio. (26.11.2016))
"1377: Florence: sentenced as players of naibi" (Jan-March 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/blank_62.html. Originally 1377: Firenze - Condanne ai giocatori di naibi." The Playing-Card , Vol. 44, No. 3 (2016), 156-163.)
"1514: Florence: Law on games" (synopsis) (Nov. 21, 2015) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/nov-21-2015-1514-florence-law-on-games.html (11514: Firenze - Legge sui giochi. (21.11.2015))
"1450, 1473, 1477: Florence: Laws on games" (Nov. 7, 2015) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/nov-7-2015-1450-1472-1477-florence-laws.html (1450, 1473, 1477: Firenze - Leggi sui giochi. (07.11.2015)
"1451: Siena - New law on games" (Oct. 31, 2015) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/essay-2.html (1451: Siena - Nuova legge sui giochi. (31.10.2015))
"1440-1450: Florence - Convictions for card games in the Books of the Lily" (Oct. 12, 2015) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/oct-12-2015-1440-1450-florence.html. (Original at 1440-1450: Firenze - Condanne per giochi di carte nei Libri del Giglio. (12.10.2015))
Playing card documentation outside Tuscany and Lombardy (6 entries)
"The 3rd Rosenwald Sheet" (June 27, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/june-27-2016-3rd-rosenwald-sheet.html (Il terzo foglio Rosenwald. (27.06.2016))
"Assisi c. 1510: Complete deck of 48 cards" (Dec. 22, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/dec-22-2016-assisi-c-1510-complete-deck.html (1510 ca: Assisi - Mazzo completo di 48 carte. (21.12.2016))
"1477 Bologna: Arithmetic for cards and triumphs" (June 9, 2014) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/blank.html (Carte da gioco a Firenze: il primo secolo (1377-1477). The Playing-Card , 19 No. 1 (1990) 7-17.))
Triumphs and the minor arts (5 entries)
"Siena 1438: From Angels to Love" (Dec. 7, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/dec-7-2015-siena-1438-from-angels-to.html (1438: Siena - Dagli Angeli all'Amore. (07.12.2016))
"ca 1450: Triumphs and Triumphi" [i.e. in illuminated manuscripts], (Oct. 15, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/oct-15-2016-triumphs-and-triumphi.html (1450ca: Trionfi e Triumphi. (15.10.2016))
"ca 1450: Triumphs and Civic Processions" (Oct. 11, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/nov-10-2016-ca-1450-civic-processions.html (1450ca: Firenze - Trionfi e cortei cittadini. (10.11.2016))
"ca 1450: Triumphs and marriage chests," (Aug. 31, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/aug-31-2016-triumphs-and-marriage-chests.html (1450ca: Firenze - Trionfi e cassoni nuziali. (31.08.2016))
"ca 1450: Triumphs and birthtrays," (May 13, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/may-13-21016-ca-1450-florence-triumphs.html (1450ca: Firenze - Trionfi e deschi da parto. (13.05.2016))
Earliest playing cards in Europe, by place (9 entries)
"Playing Cards in Europe Before 1377? Holland" (Jan. 18, 2017 and March 9, 2017) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2017/02/jan-18-2017-playing-cards-in-europe.html (Carte da gioco in Europa prima del 1377 ? Olanda. (18.01.2017) and Carte da gioco in Europa prima del 1377 ? Olanda. Addendum. (09.03.2017))
"Playing Cards in Europe Before 1377? Aragon" (June 21, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/translators-introduction-by-michael-s_6.html (Carte da gioco in Europa prima del 1377 ? Aragona. (21.06.2016))
"Playing Cards in Europe Before 1377? Buja" (June 15, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/translators-introduction-by-michael-s.html (Carte da gioco in Europa prima del 1377 ? Buja. (15.06.2016))
"Playing Cards in Europe Before 1377? Bohemia" (June 7, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/june-7-2016-before-1377-bohemia.html (Carte da gioco in Europa prima del 1377 ? Boemia. (07.06.2016))
"Playing Cards in Europe Before 1377? Poland" (June 2, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/june-2-2016-before-1377-poland.html (Carte da gioco in Europa prima del 1377 ? Polonia. (02.06.2016)
"Playing Cards in Europe Before 1377? Italy" (May 5, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/feb-8-2015-comments-on-islamic-cards.html (Carte da gioco in Europa prima del 1377 ? Italia. (05.05.2016))
"Various cards at Basel in 1377 or 1429" (April 26, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/april-26-2016-various-cards-at-basel-in.html (Carte varie a Basilea nel 1377 o nel 1429. (26.04.2016))
"Playing Cards in Europe Before 1377? Berne" (April 26, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/sept-24-2016-before-1377-berne.html (Carte varie a Basilea nel 1377 o nel 1429. (26.04.2016))
"Comments on Islamic cards" (Feb. 8, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/feb-8-2015-comments-on-islamic-cards.html (Commenti sulle carte islamiche. (08.02.2016)
General reflections, mostly on trionfi (5 entries)
"Minchiate, Reflections on Design" (Dec. 2, 2023), at https://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2023/12/december-12-2023-minchiate-reflections.html. Franco's original is at Minchiate. Riflessioni sul design (02.12.2023).
"Imaginary origins of triumphs and minchiate" (Nov. 19, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/nov-12-2016-imaginary-origins-of.html (Genesi favolosa di trionfi e minchiate. (19.11.2016)
"Earliest Triumphs: Contrasting Proposals and Outlooks" (Oct. 4, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/11/oct-4-2016-earliest-triumphs_7.html (Primi trionfi, proposte contrastanti e prospettive. (04.10.2016))
"Milanese and Florentine Triumphs" (Feb. 12, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/blank_22.html (Trionfi milanesi e fiorentini - ipotesi e commenti. (12.02.2016))
"Cremona 1441? Ruminations on the Visconti-Madrone" (Jan. 17, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/jan-17-2016-ruminations-on-visconti-di.html (Cremona 1441? - Elucubrazioni sui tarocchi Visconti di Modrone o Cary-Yale. (17.01.2016))
"Other comments on the triumphs" (Jan. 11, 2016) http://pratesitranslations.blogspot.com/2016/02/jan-11-2015-other-comments-qabout.html (Altri commenti sui trionfi. (11.01.2016))
A complete list of Franco's essays on playing cards, with links to their texts in their original language, is at http://naibi.net/p/index.html. Those originally published at trionfi.com, all but one originally in English, also appear online at that site. All of the web-pages at trionfi.com can be read in other languages via Google Translate, by entering the page's url into Google Translate's slot for websites and then clicking on "translate this page." The result is usually adequate English, except for quotations from historic texts (and remember that the slang term for bull manure, when it appears in a translation, is Google's idea of what minchiate means; of course here it invariably means the Tuscan card game and deck).
To use Google Translate for the essays on Franco's own site, it is necessary to download them to your computer and then have Google translate them as a "document" rather than a "website."
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