By Anna Klaffinger

Not surprisingly, the Anna K. Tarot holds its position on the 10 most favourite Tarot deck lists long after its publication. Although Waite-like in structure and Coleman-similar in imagery, Anna brings a charming degree of artistic realism to her images.  The character expressions, like for example, on the young woman depicted in the Ace of Wands as she balances across a wand bridging one cliff to another, are so engaging, recognizable and true to the card’s meaning.  Proud of herself, joyful in her youthful daring yet still a little shakey in her inexperience, she is a girl you know you’d love as much as at times find annoying.

All of her Aces depict a young character involved in an activity which so accurately represents the element of the suit.  In the Ace of Pentacles a young woman sits with a satisfied smile with a trowel in hand in front of a freshly dug hole in the ground.  In the hole a pentacle rests on top of a pile of gold and jewels.  She’s found a buried treasure and for all her dirty frock and feet looks so pleased with the fruits of her labours.

Characterization Anna Klaffinger’s Strength

The 10 pentacles is equally engaging and appropriate.  A young couple stand together in a tender pose surrounded by three people, two of whom look like one set of the young couple’s parents.  The woman gazes tenderly at her hand being held in the front of a baby swaddled between them, by what could be her own mother’s hand while the young man holds her head against his.  It’s a warm family portrait depicting three generations.  The atmosphere is festive and celebratory.  Gazing at this card you cannot miss the meaning – in fact, even without any prior knowledge of the tarot you would discern this card’s meaning.

This is certainly Anna’s strength as an artist – people!  Her characters are set in what would appear to be the middle-ages.  Simple outfits and foot attire with muted colours prevail throughout most of the depictions of the characters.  In some cases she has refrained from placing any characters in the cards and it would seem she is not comfortable with displays of violence such as might be expected in the 10 swords.  Anna has depicted a man walking away with red on his back while in the foreground is the display of ten bloody swords dug into the ground.  Because of the blood on the departing character’s back the viewer might assume he had been involved but certainly the attack didn’t maim or put him down as is suggested in most depictions of the 10 Swords.  Anna K.’s depiction is a focus is on the new lap in this man’s journey as opposed to the bloody fight he’s just been embroiled in.

A Must-Have Deck for Storytellers

This is the perfect deck for a beginner reader and anyone who loves to tell stories. I would have loved to read more about her rationalizations for certain depictions such as the 2 swords.  I think the character in the foreground is pensively trying the make a decision but that’s only because I know the meaning of the card.  Instead of a blindfold he is situated in front of a wall and 2 swords are stuck into the ground in the doorway behind him.  But like all Anna’s imagery the more you gaze at this card the more deeply you feel the emotions symbolized.

The deck is size is smaller than average but uncluttered with borders.  This deck is definitely a must have for the collector, beginners and storytellers alike.