The Cloisters Playing Cards
The Cloisters playing cards are the only complete set of medieval hand painted woodcut playing cards that have been found. These cards date back to 1475-1480 and can now be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Like the average set of cards today, the deck consists of fifty two playing cards that are made up of; kings, queens, knaves, and 10 different pip cards. The other 10 cards are drawings of equipment used for hunting.
Medieval playing cards were made to keep people entertained as well as challenge people to use more thought in a game rather than hope for luck in a game such as shooting dice. Cards became a large source of gambling. This allowed playing cards to become a popular source of entertainment and gaming at a rapid rate. The popularity of the cards made it hard for them to survive long. Cards were constantly being dealt, shuffled, and abused making this one of a kind deck of cards a rarity.
Source:
Meier, Allison. The Bawdy History of Medieval Playing Cards. Hyperallergic Media, 2016, hyperallergic.com/273146/the-bawdy-history-of-medieval-playing-cards/
Metropolitan Museum . The Cloisters Playing Cards. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2016, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/475513
I am amazed at how well preserved the cards appear in this picture, especially since they are wood-cut cards made so long ago. I do wonder, though, how they were shuffled since they are oval shaped and made of wood.. I assume, it would be different from today. I find it interesting considering the time period that the deck is a modern set (king, queen, jack/knaves,10 pips) as opposed to a tarot deck (king, queen, knight, jack/knave, 10 pips, and the fool) which was more prominent at the time.
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