The Enigmatic Mantegna Tarocchi: 15th-Century Educational Engravings

The Mantegna Tarocchi, a collection of 50 instructional engravings created circa 1465, remain enigmatic, with their creator, intent, and imagery still unclear. Contrary to their name, these are not playing or Tarot cards for divination; they likely served as educational materials for affluent youth, although no records exist. Initially attributed to Andrea Mantegna due to Giorgio Vasari's reference to his trionfi prints, the engravings are now also associated with Florentine artist Baccio Baldini, leading to the alternative titles Baldini Cards or Baldini Tarocchi. Numbered from 1 to 50, the cards are categorized into themes such as Society, the Arts and Sciences, and the Seven Virtues, featuring high-quality designs, some embellished with gold. Their influence extended to later artists like Albrecht Dürer and Ludovico Lazzarelli, and they inspired woodcut reproductions in subsequent educational texts. Each card is named and numbered, reflecting a humanist hierarchy prioritizing arts and sciences over aristocracy and church. While distinct from tarot, they may have drawn iconography from early tarot decks, and card games based on Virtues and Vices have emerged throughout history, with Tarot Trumps potentially representing a simplified version of these images.