Salvador Dalí's Tarot Deck: A Surrealist Masterpiece

Salvador Dalí designed his own Tarot deck in the 1970s, initially commissioned by producer Albert Broccoli for the James Bond film 'Live and Let Die.' After the deal fell through, Dalí continued the project independently, likely encouraged by his wife Gala, who nurtured his interest in mysticism. The deck reflects Dalí's reverence for the Tarot, showing unusual reserve compared to his earlier psychedelic illustrations for 'Alice in Wonderland' (1969). He chose his own face for the Magician card. The deck combines old-world art, surrealism, kitsch, Christian iconography, and Greek and Roman sculpture, featuring recurring motifs like the rose, fly, and bull's head. First published in a limited edition in 1984, it has been reissued by TASCHEN and other publishers. The accompanying booklet, in Spanish, English, and French, describes Dalí as transforming the 78 plates of 'The fabulous book of Thot' into artistic marvels. The deck is still available in limited and affordable editions.