About The Tarot de Marseille Deck (Jean Dodal - 1701)
The Marseille tarot design is one of the oldest tarot designs and the most popular deck in the non-English speaking world. It was the standard pattern of deck used throughout most of history, and was probably invented in Italy in the 15th century. New variations of the Marseille tarot are still widely printed today, and numerous historical versions still exist. Many of these designs were produced and printed in the town of Marseilles, France.
Jean Dodal, a card maker, produced this deck in 1701, making it one of the oldest of the Marseille decks. His name appears on the Two of Cups. The deck was printed from woodcut blocks, giving it a rustic feel. There remain only two copies of the Jean Dodal deck, one of which is held at the British Museum.
Typically referred to in modern decks as the High Priestess, card II depicts the traditional Papess – or female pope.