By the 18th and 19th centuries, Tarot began to shed its reputation as a courtly pastime and take on a second life. Readers started assigning consistent meanings to the suits, courts, and pips, drawing on numerology, astrology, and elemental attributions. What had been game mechanics became a symbolic language.
Cartomancers published handbooks explaining how to interpret combinations and positions. The practice of laying cards in spreads emerged — lines, crosses, and wheels that mapped past, present, and potential futures. With each new spread, Tarot became more of a mirror: a way to narrate circumstance, explore character, and frame choice.
As these methods traveled through salons and printshops, the deck’s reputation shifted from play to insight. The same imagery that once spiced a trick‑taking game now invited reflection, guidance, and conversation — a portable theater of story and symbol.