Author: A.P. Payal
Author Affiliation: Department of English, University of Delhi
Abstract: The paper offers a close reading of two fifteenth century Italian tarot decks attributed to the patronage of the Visconti family. The cards emerge as important texts to investigate the ‘woman question’ in fifteenth century Europe and how women’s bodies were inscribed with contemporary notions of male honour through allegory and careful visual referencing. My paper situates the cards within a broader network of connections in early modern Europe and my interdisciplinary approach integrates socio-historical contextualisation with art history, material studies, and poetry.
Keywords: tarot cards, Visconti, early modern Europe, allegory, sovereignty, courtly love, women’s bodies.