from works such as "Flowers from Shakespeare's Garden" that one can buy for a few dollars in a modern reprint. The LWB presents a cosy atmosphere and explains the meanings and ideas of this old-fashioned style of tarot. The majors are done in the Continental style, with Justice as Eight and Strength as 11. The minors have the more modern convention of very pretty illustrations and full number of pips integrated into the scene for each card. I find majors, minors and courts are done in a delicate blend of Italianate neoclassical engraving with Walter Crane's blend of Art Nouveau and Victorian charm.
So if cherubs, posys, long-haired and romantic heroes and heroines sound delicious to you, this is a fresh and friendly deck. I found delicate humorous twists of posies morphing into animals and airy, warm daylight in the landscapes.
This tarot encouraged me to read more of Walter Crane and research the art groups he was involved in...he even was a founder of a New York society of arts and crafts that Pamela Colman Smith was a member of when she was in New York. Both artists were fine line illustrators and respected decorative book arts and Japanese ukiyoe prints, as well as their classical European counterparts.
I find it a very charming and worthwhile tarot to use and enjoy. This is one of the tarots that I would say works well for many styles of readings...including just studying the pictures for storytelling or design inspiration.
I hope you find this a beautiful tarot as well.
