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There is admittedly a dark edge to this deck, while its allegorical content is striking. The image of Justice
above is shown surrounded by a corrupt state. Politicians, merchants, soldiers and ecclesiastics all take part
in manipulating her. She carries her scale and the double-edged sword of ethics and morality, but she is powerless
to use them because she is a puppet to more powerful forces. The hand of money, in fact, seems to have the greatest
sway.
The High Priestess has an air of ecclesiastic authority, but she is in fact a witch. The emblem on her miter
is a sprouting corn stalk, a symbol of fertility that links her with druidic paganism. Her hands are gloved to
represent her mysterious power, and she wears rings of the elements on both hands. The cat beside the throne is
her familiar. The Ace of Cups also portrays a witch, who has just created a potion which gives her
the power to attract the one she loves.
The Moon card shows a woman riding the back of a wild bird. The full moon is a time of supernatural power, which
the woman has invoked to guide her through the night. As the moon itself is in constant flux, Cassari says that
this card is strongly influenced by the other cards around it. The woman on the card, for example, may be on her
way to a black sabbat, or she may be on route towards a newborn child to whom she will bestow gifts of talent and
happiness. In both cases, it shows a time of caution.
Cassari’s deck shows the Tarot as an object of fine art. Her drawings were first rendered in black and white, and
then etched on film and hand-colored with a mix of tempera and watercolor. The printing beautifully reproduces
the intricate line detail and the brilliant coloring. She describes the themes behind her deck:
“All seventy-eight cards are joined by an ambiance, a hypothetical kingdom that blends the medieval world with
the surreal one. The characters move to create a story that, though it may seem bizarre, is not so very different
from the story that takes place in all of our lives. Each suit has a theme or motif. Wands represent the world
of the common people or peasants. Cups have as their protagonists women, in the guise of wife, mother, sorceress
and so on. Swords represents the world of death and war. Pentacles depict monetary concerns and the ways in which
material loss and gain manifest in life.”
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