The World 1751

Claude Burdel created this woodblock print tarot card, titled "The World," sometime in the 1700s. It’s made with a relief printing process, where the design is carved into a block of wood, ink is applied to the remaining surface, and then pressed onto paper. The blocky lines and simplified forms are characteristic of this technique. The colors were added using stencils. Imagine the labor involved in carving the wood, mixing the inks, and carefully applying each color layer. The image itself is a fascinating mix of cultural symbols. The central figure, surrounded by a wreath, represents completion and integration. In the corners, we see the symbols of the four evangelists, drawn from Christian iconography. The card would have been relatively inexpensive to produce, circulating widely among different social classes, offering guidance, or perhaps just a bit of diversion, in a world undergoing rapid change. Looking closely at the materials and methods used to create this card reminds us that even seemingly simple images carry complex histories of making, labor, and belief. It blurs the boundaries between art, craft, and popular culture.