I highly recommend this interview by Arlene deWinter with Paul Huson.
Long ago (1971) Paul wrote a book on tarot called The Devil’s Picturebook: The Compleat Guide to Tarot Cards: Their Origins and their Usage. It was one of my earliest tarot books and gave me a better sense of the true tarot history then most other books of the time. Along with his Mastering Witchcraft, I got a rich sense of classical and pagan witchy lore out of a more sophisticated European sensibility than was usually found in the U.S.
More recently Paul wrote one of the finest books on the Renaissance history of tarot – Mystical Origins of the Tarot: From Ancient Roots to Modern Usage, which I consider to be an absolute MUST for anyone interested in tarot’s past. It also offers the best material for those who want to read the cards using ideas that were likely associated with the images from the beginning. It is filled with rare translations and hundreds of drawings of decks, comparing them to related medieval and Renaissance artworks.
Paul’s most recent offering is a jewel-like deck from Lo Scarabeo based on the drawings he did for Mystical Origins: Dame Fortune’s Wheel Tarot. It is a richly colorful and eclectic rendering of what a more plebian deck of the 15th-16th century might have looked like, borrowing from several late 15th century woodcuts as well as the elaborate gold-leaf, hand painted decks of the nobles, along with some Marseille touches. The Minors feature scenic imagery based on Etteilla’s 18th century meanings (upon which both MacGregor Mathers and A.E. Waite based their cartomantic interpretations).
In my opinion, no tarot library is complete without Mystical Origins of the Tarot and Dame Fortune’s Wheel, and I guarantee that both will give you many long hours of enjoyment as you dig out all those reproduction decks (or the Encyclopedia of Tarot) to compare the ideas and imagery.
Learn more and see the deck in action at Christine Payne-Towler’s recent Ark Letters post.
♥
Mary K. Greer has made tarot her life work. Check here for reports of goings-on in the world of tarot and cartomancy, articles on the history and practice of tarot, and materials on other cartomancy decks. Sorry, I no longer write reviews. Contact me
Mary K. Greer's Tarot Blog 
7 comments
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July 4, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Arlene deWinter
Hi Mary,
How fun to get this in my inbox! Paul is such a good interviewee. Interesting and gives a lot. Thanks for the link!
Take care,
Arlene
July 4, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Paul Nagy
Yes, Paul Huson is a sober tarotist.
I got my hot little hands on his Dame Fortune’s Wheel Tarot at this year’s Reader’s Studio.
They were so freshly printed I got high sniffing the cards, and then I got higher reading the images!
It is a wonderful deck to read.
I am tempted to add it my conservative few decks I read from and study with regularity. RWS, Thoth, Marseilles, and soon DFWT!
Oh I have to add I am fond of Zach Wong’s Revelation Tarot, too.
July 4, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Josephine
Great article, and thanks for the book reccomendation!
July 11, 2009 at 1:38 am
Kalessin
Jim & I had the great pleasure and privilege of meeting Paul and his partner a couple of years ago when we were in southern Cal on business. They treated us to lunch, and told us stories about Craft personalities in the heyday of the occult revival. Paul is a gentleman and a scholar–and easy on the eyes! 😉 I admit I was a bit starstruck, and I still owe him a formal “thank you” for the lunch and taking the time to meet us…but what do you say to someone you have admired for nearly 30 years without sounding like a total fanboy! Paul was my first hero. My art teacher in jr. high bought me _Mastering Witchcraft_ in the mid-70s when I was 15. It is still one of my favorite books on the subject. Everyone in our coven has a similar story about the book (one of our coven sisters tells us that _Mastering Witchcraft_ arrived in the mail by “accident” when she was a little girl about the same age). My friend Mike Nichols says he used Paul’s book to teach a class in Witchcraft at the Communiversity in Columbia, MO from 1970-1989! Likewise, Paul’s Tarot and herbal books are fantastic. Everything he produces is excellent. I have always admired Paul’s ability with words. He is a master wordsmith as well as an accomplished artist. Someday I would like to ask him to do an original drawing for me that I could have tattooed.
October 22, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Tristan
Hello Mary:
Paul Huson’s “Mystical Origins of the Tarot: From Ancient Roots to Modern Usage” is one of the two best books on Tarot history. The other one is Robert Place’s “The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination”.
They complement each other, reinforce some historical and key points on its background, structure and attributions, and get rid of some very extended myths about its origins (Egypt, gypsies, Kabalah, etc.).
Both “The Devil’s picturebook” and “Mastering Witchcraft” are really powerful books, as they make you experience a different way of seeing and making, in the Old Path.
His new “Dame Fortune’s Wheel Tarot” is something else, and feels quite different when you handle it.
What did this great Magician casted into, when he created these cards?
He may just conjured and raised them … using some old Renaissance grimorium …
And a magical proposal:
It would be really special and inspiring to see You and Paul and Robert talking together on Tarot History.
It could be a true historical event..
Best Wishes for all Witches !
Tristan.
August 27, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Gav (manandcards)
It took me a little while to find Paul’s interview as Arlene deWinter has moved their web address. I thought it might be handy to post the new link:
http://www.houseofwinterspells.com/1942/interview-with-tarot-historian-paul-huson/
Best Wishes,
Gav.
August 28, 2014 at 2:58 pm
mkg
Thanks, Gav. I changed the link in my post.