![Cover of The Minchiate Tarot: The 97-Card Tarot of the Renaissance Complete with the 12 Astrological Signs and the 4 Elements [With Tarot Cards]](/img/the-minchiate-tarot-the-97-card-tarot-of-the-renaissance-complete-with-the-12-astrological-signs-and-scene.webp)
About the author
Brian Williams is a tarot artist and author known for decks that draw on Italian Renaissance art and iconography. His Renaissance Tarot, published by U.S. Games Systems, reimagines the Major Arcana through Olympian deities and classical mythology while keeping the deck's structure recognizable to readers of traditional tarot. The Minchiate Tarot, issued by Destiny Books, is a fuller undertaking: a 97-card system, expanding on the standard 78, that revives a historical Renaissance-era deck by adding the twelve astrological signs and four elements to the usual suits and trumps. Williams is also credited with The Light and Shadow Tarot. Across these projects his focus stays consistent - restoring older, more elaborate tarot structures and pairing them with original artwork rooted in Renaissance visual language, aimed at readers and diviners interested in tarot's historical roots rather than contemporary reinterpretations.
📖 Where to start with Brian Williams
💬 What our editors say about Brian Williams's books
“Brian Williams presents the first modern edition of the Minchiate in centuries, offering a comprehensive look at this expansive Renaissance system. The text delivers rich symbolic analysis and contemporary interpretations,…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Minchiate Tarot: The 97-Card Tarot of the Renaissance Complete with the 12 Astrological Signs and the 4 Elements [With Tarot Cards]
“This innovative tarot deck offers a compelling visual and textual experience for those interested in self-discovery through the interplay of opposites. Its black-and-white block print imagery provides a refreshing departure from…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Light and Shadow Tarot
“This title is a visually stunning homage to antiquity, successfully casting Major Arcana figures as classical myths. However, it may not suit purists who prefer the original Rider-Waite-Smith imagery or those seeking strict…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Renaissance Tarot
📋 Editions by Brian Williams in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Minchiate Tarot: The 97-Card Tarot of the Renaissance Comple | — | Destiny Books | 272 | 9780892816514 |
| The Light and Shadow Tarot | — | Destiny Books | 208 | 9780892815036 |
| Renaissance Tarot | — | U.S. Games Systems, Inc. | 78 | 9780880793070 |
