Iean Dodali Tarot

Description

Dodali Tarot / TSR008 / Digital Print

Number of Cards: 78 + 3 variations (Ace of Swords, Ace of Wands, Page of Wands)
Card size: 12.8 x 7.1cm
Packaging: Handmade envelope with a 4-colour hand-painted design
Second limited edition — numbered and signed on an additional card

A Refined Revival of the Iean Dodal Tarot

First published in 2015, the Dodali returns in a second, enhanced edition — limited to 400 copies.
This edition revisits the entire deck with renewed precision, balancing the historical authenticity of Iean Dodal’s luminous woodcuts with a more harmonious colour palette and cleaner linework

The first TSR edition of the Dodali Tarot was developed through close comparison with the only two known surviving copies of this iconic deck, held at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris) and the British Museum (London). My approach to tarot restoration has always been to preserve, as closely as possible, the spirit and character of the original woodcuts.

For this new edition, I returned to the full deck with a craftsman’s eye — reworking delicate areas of the engraving, enhancing tonal balance, and refining the colour application to restore the vivid warmth of early 18th-century printing.

Colouring the Digital Print Edition

To recreate the traditional hand-colouring used by 18th-century cardmakers, I combined digital and artisanal techniques in a unique hybrid process.

Each of the six colours was applied by hand, using separate stencil sheets. This six-step process facilitates organic colour blending and produces a more subtle and natural result.

Next, a high-definition scan was digitally overlaid with the textured line drawing. This hybrid technology adheres to Tarot Sheet Revival’s goal of authentically expressing the poetic character of historical tarots.

Particularities of the Dodali Tarot 

A meticulous study of the originals allowed me to observe that trump card XII, LE.PANDV, was originally engraved in an upright position, as in the Belgian tarot tradition. This subtle difference, which explains the apparent inversion of the Roman numeral (IIX), can be inferred from the orientation of the card backs, which feature a non-reversible motif. It is a very meaningful characteristic of this French tarot that is often overlooked. It is absolutely certain that on the original mold, the card name was engraved upside down, and not the Roman numeral.

Comparing the two known copies in Paris and London, I identified two distinct engravings for three cards: the Ace of Swords, Ace of Wands, and Page of Wands.
To honour both sources, this edition includes all variations — for a total of 81 cards.

Iean Dodal, card maker in Lyon.

Iean Dodal was a Lyon business owner active between 1701 and 1715. He manufactured his tarot exclusively for export, as evidenced by the mention on several cards of “Faict pour le Trange” (F.P.LE.TRANGE), meaning “Made for Export”. It is probably for this reason that his name appears Italianised on the Two of Coins, hence the name of this edition of the “Dodali Tarot”.