From:  Woods_Dweller (Original Message) | Sent: 8/7/2006 5:19 PM | RIDER WAITE SMITH TAROT - A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
===== by Lori Hampson =====
The Rider Waite Smith Tarot deck is probably the most popular and
well known of all the many Tarot decks available today. The name
comes from William Rider & Son - the original publishers, Arthur
Edward Waite - the academic and mystic who commissioned the
creation of the Tarot deck, and Pamela Colman Smith - the
talented but often ignored artist who drew the images of the
Rider-Waite (as it is often referred to) Tarot deck. Waite and
Smith were both members of the Order of the Golden Dawn, a famous but short-lived occult group of the 19th Century.
The RWS Tarot deck was published in 1909 and was the first widely
available deck with illustrated Minor Arcana cards. The 56 cards
of the Minor Arcana, also known as "pips" now had a wealth of
symbolism depicted in the illustrations - as did the 22 cards of
the Major Arcana. Up until then the numbered Minor Arcana cards
of a Tarot deck would show just 4 cups, or 6 Wands or 8 Swords.
The RWS Tarot with its illustrated "pips", together with the
evocative images of the Major Arcana ultimately revolutionised
the Tarot world. When Waite designed his Tarot deck he kept the
basic sequence of the cards although he switched the numbering of
the Strength and Justice cards in the Major Arcana. There is some
discussion about who actually designed the Minor Arcana cards -
did Waite conceive them and give Smith full instructions or did
he just tell her his ideas and allow her some free rein with her
artistic talents to create the images? Each card carries Pamela
Colman Smith's monogram, usually in one of the bottom corners.
Tragically, the original printing plates were destroyed in the
London blitz and publication came to an end. In 1971, US Games
inc. began publishing a copyrighted facsimile version of the
deck.
These days there are many, many decks which follow the basic
template of the RWS Tarot deck. There are RWS versions that have
been re-coloured but which retain the original line drawings.
Versions that have been redrawn, generally, have the same basic
figures and settings on the cards with similar symbolism. A RWS
type of deck is usually recommended for beginners as the basic
visual scenes can be more easily associated with keywords for
easier recollection and understandings of the meanings for each
card. However, there are also many experienced readers whose
favourite reading deck is a RWS or variant. The majority of
beginner and novice books use illustrations of the RWS deck for
learning purposes.
One thing is for sure, if Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman
Smith had not collaborated and created the RWS Tarot deck - Tarot
decks would be quite different to what we are used to today.
===
About the Author
===
Tarot reader, Lori Hampson, offers advice and guidance for all
life's challenges through her website. Please visit
http://www.tarotforlifeguidance.co.uk for further insights and
information on readings and Tarot in general.
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