La Zodiaco Degli Gnomi
by Antonio Lupatelli
 
Another deck for those of you who are collecting the Fairy and Gnomes Tarots of Lupatelli, this deck features the same lovely little gnomes from the tarot deck, only now they are showing us the planets in the sky and the signs of the zodiac.  This deck has 22 cards in it, 12 signs of the zodiac and 10 celestial bodies.
 
The first half of the deck, the twelve signs of the zodiac, has white borders around large brightly colored images of gnome life which illustrate the personality type and archetypal meaning behind each symbol of the zodiac.  For example, the Taurus card shows a gnome butting heads with a Bull.  At the top of each card in the white border is a rhyming expression, in Italian!  There is a black text box floated against the image near the bottom which holds the title of the card, also in Italian.  The symbol for the zodiac sign also appears floating on the card image, in a different place on each card.
 
The second half of the deck contains the planets and celestial bodies.  Here we find the Sun, the moon, and the 8 planets in the solar system (not counting Earth).  The images here are a little less intuitive, in that sometimes it is a stretch to see how the card illustrates the planet it does.  Again there are the rhyming expressions at the top and the black text boxes at the bottom with the titles, all in Italian.
 
The cards themselves are slightly larger than standard and give a good palette for the art.  There are only 22 cards so shuffling is simple and handling comfortable.  Edges are nicely rounded.  Card stock is nice and flexible and coated on both sides.  The back design is reversible and strongly resembles the backs of classic poker and bridge decks.  There is no little white booklet with this deck but rather two cards which are printed front and back with instructions and meanings and a spread -- all in Italian.
 
This deck would best be suited for use as a collectible.  Lupatelli fans will consider this a must-have.  The gnomes are much too cute to pass up.  Many people also collect astrology decks and so this will appeal to those as well.  Overall it's an excellent art deck, although those familiar with using astrology cards will probably be able to actually use these.
 
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Review Copyright 1999 by Gina M. Pace
 
La Zodiaco Degli Gnomi by Antonio Lupatelli, 1996
published by LoScarabeo, Torino, Italy