TAROCCHI
The origins, the cards, the fortune

A long-awaited project: after more than a century, the 74 cards of the Colleoni deck – the most complete in the world – are reunited. Today, they are preserved between Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, The Morgan Library in New York, and a private collection.

The occasion of this extraordinary reunion has given rise to an equally unique project: a journey spanning seven centuries, from the 15th century to the 20th century and beyond, which – thanks to prestigious national and international loans – explores the history of tarot, its patrons, artists, techniques, also in light of recent scientific research, as well as its legacy, inspirations, and the enduring fascination these cards continue to exert.

Born as an aristocratic pastime and widely disseminated with the invention of printing, tarot cards established themselves as a divinatory tool in the 18th century, achieving remarkable cultural and symbolic significance in the 20th century and up to the present day. The themes explored throughout the exhibition offer the most extensive and comprehensive overview of tarot ever presented: from the origins of the cards to the refined and sumptuous environment of the courts of northern Italy, where the game spread around the mid-15th century; from its evolution from aristocratic pastime to popular game, and finally to its transformation into a divinatory practice; from its 20th-century fortune to contemporary reinterpretations.

The exhibition is organized in collaboration with The Morgan Library in New York and features exceptional loans from major international institutions, including the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University, and the Biblioteca Nazionale di Firenze.