Giordano Berti, Andrew Serio
Los Scarabeo, 2001
I bought this deck in 2010 from a member at Aeclectic Tarot. It was reasonably priced at $8.00. I thought it looked "cool," with its flowing drawings and Dante theme. I was a bit overwhelmed at first because of the way that this deck is organized, but once I got that squared away, it made more sense. Trifoni (Majors) represent traditional concepts from the tarot and are "scenes" from Convivio. The Bricks (Wands) represent people and situations having a profound affect upon Dante the person. The remaining suits represent main scenes and concepts from Divina Commedia. Flames (Swords) are from Inferno; Clouds (Disks) are from Purgatorio; Lights (Cups) are from Paradiso. The Little Blue Pamphlet provides just enough information that one could find the corresponding verses in the Divina Commedia, followed by brief descriptions. 
As a reading deck, I was delightfully surprised. Really, I didn't have much hope in its usefulness as a tarot deck, but I guess the folks at Los Scarabeo knew what they were doing with this one. The cards draw you in - inviting you to not just view the images but to become a participant in the scenes. This card has what is probably my most favored Devil card (shown). It is renamed "Authority." I found it very powerful.
Overall, this is a deck that shouldn't be overlooked. The art might feel "odd" with its flowing circular nature, but the art is done by a trained artist who knows their craft. You find yourself flowing from one image to the next.
Rating: Keeper

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