As Tarot’s popularity spread in the 15th and 16th centuries, the game’s epicenter moved from the courts of Northern Italy into France and Switzerland. Along this journey, a new technological ally emerged: woodblock printing. This method allowed decks to be reproduced faster and more consistently than hand-painted cards, making Tarot more accessible beyond noble households.
In France, particularly in the city of Marseille, the style became standardized: bold black outlines, a restrained palette of reds, blues, yellows, and greens, and instantly recognizable figures. These “archetypal faces” — from the serene High Priestess to the playful Fool — created what we now call the Tarot de Marseille.
The Marseille style was more than just aesthetic; it became the visual DNA of Tarot. Later artists — from occultists to surrealists — would copy, remix, or even rebel against these forms, but the underlying geometry, posture, and symbolism remained deeply influential.