Tarot’s Forgotten Iconography, Symbolism and Storytelling Power

The 22 cards forming the Tarot's major arcana have, for centuries, served as a visual oracle, an iconic and adaptable muse to seekers, artists, occultists, filmmakers, popstars, and high fashion, with influence stretching from the artworks of the Surrealists to TV's Twin Peaks.

Together, these powerful cards form a compendium of symbolic representations crystallising the hopes and fears of the western world, a reservoir of images with roots stretching back to Neoplatonism, the Black Plague of medieval Europe, profane folklore, and fin de siècle occultism.

Each card evokes and draws on powerful archetypes whose meanings have shifted over the centuries, adapting to new symbolic needs.

In these uncertain times, let's gather and playfully contemplate six centuries of historical cards, losing ourselves in their beauty, and trying to understand through the lens of art and historical context why these images continue to fascinate and inspire us today.

In this five-week livestream course, Laetitia will guide you to examine each card of the major arcana, one by one. You will be introduced to a rich variety of cards dating from the 15th Century to the present. Together, we will unpack their history and symbolism, with an eye towards investigating the archetypal ideas that animate these powerful images.

You will be given weekly assignments in the form of parlour games and journaling prompts.

For the final project, you will create your own revisioning of a card of the major arcana, or a new major arcana of your own creation. This could take the form of any work of art in any medium.

You will leave class with a deep, intimate knowledge of the Tarot's major arcana to take with them in future readings and tarot investigations.

Profile photo: Shannon Taggart

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Entry requirements

• This course is open to all.
• To enrol on this course, click 'BOOK NOW'.
• If it is fully booked, click 'REGISTER INTEREST' for updates.

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These classes will be recorded. A link to the video recordings will be available for replay to those who book. Please see our terms for more information.

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Important notice: The UK switches to Greenwich Mean Time on Sunday 30 October 2022.

For our students in the UK, your digital clocks should adjust automatically. However, if you are joining from outside the UK, please double-check the start time of your classes after 30 October. Your class will start an hour later than previously.