• Masterpiece of the 1709 Marseille Tarot Author’s Workshop
• A representative work of 18th century French suit cards
• Burgundian pattern reproduced in the new century

Playing cards were introduced to Europe from Egypt around 1370 and appeared in France in 1377. The French suits appeared in France around 1480, and according to historical evidence, they were adapted from the German suits, which are one of the most classic cultural symbols in the history of solitaire.

With its cost and production advantages, the French suits quickly replaced the German and Spanish suits and became the international standard for cards in the UK, USA and around the world. The playing cards you use today are a continuation of this system.

Unlike the slightly more monotonous and uniform British and American versions, traditional French playing cards have completely different styles in different regions, with some of the more recognisable ones being the Parisian pattern, Lyon, Burgundy, Provence, Rouen and many more.

It is worth noting that the authors of the Marseille Tarot usually also produced French cards, even if the latter were more prolific. However, it is extremely rare for two works by the same author to be preserved to this day, and Pierre Madenier is one of them.

The ‘Burgundy Pattern’ originated in the late 15th century at Lyon as a card manufacturer, and was later mass-produced in the Dijon region. Produced in 1745 in the workshop of Pierre Madenier, author of 1709 Marseilles, it was mainly exported and is typical of the type of cards that, from the 16th century onwards, the French began to associate the figures on their cards with historical, mythological, and biblical figures.