Created during the 1980s, the Tarot de Tahiti is a fascinating reinterpretation of the traditional French tarot, richly illustrated with scenes inspired by Polynesian culture and Tahitian history. Artist Michèle Feltrin transforms the familiar court cards into vibrant island characters while preserving the classic French tarot structure, making the deck fully playable for both tarot games and collectors.
🔹 Tarot de Tahiti illustrated by Michèle Feltrin
🔹 Published by Les Éditions du Lézard
🔹 Vintage French edition (1980s)
🔹 Complete deck of 78 plastic-coated cards
🔹 Original booklet included
🔹 Original slipcase included
🔹 Standard French tarot deck with Tahitian-inspired artwork
The numbered suit cards remain traditional, while the court cards and trumps are reimagined through a distinctive Tahitian lens. The illustrations depict daily life, local traditions, ceremonies, landscapes, and historical scenes, offering a unique visual journey through French Polynesia. Some images also reflect the colonial vision of Tahiti prevalent at the time of publication, making the deck an intriguing historical document as well as a collectible playing card set.
Its bold graphic style, often reminiscent of classic European adventure comics, gives the deck a striking personality rarely found in modern tarot editions.
Condition
Complete and in very good vintage condition. Cards remain clean with light signs of handling consistent with age. Original booklet and box are included. Please refer to the photographs for details.
🪶 Collector's Note
The Tarot de Tahiti is one of the more unusual French tarot decks of the late twentieth century. Rather than creating a divinatory tarot, Michèle Feltrin adapted the traditional French tarot into a richly illustrated tribute to Tahiti, blending Polynesian imagery with the classic tarot format. Today it is appreciated not only by tarot collectors but also by enthusiasts of Pacific art, colonial-era iconography, and uncommon regional playing cards.
