Cards are war, in disguise of a sport.
~ Charles Lamb
Playing cards today. The British Museum has a collection of playing cards printed by the German Monogrammist PW circa 1500. Instead of being divided into hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds, the set is divided into five different groups (roses, columbines, carnations, parrots, hares) and each suite has ten numbers and four figures (king, queen, valet, knave).
The King of Hares
The Nine of Parrots
The Queen of Roses
Jack of Diamonds
by Abigail Kamelhair
Playing Cards by Ukrainian artist Vladislav Erko
Cards of Life and Death
by Kornel Ravadits
(This image has the wrong web site on it -- it is not affiliated with PJLighthouse)
You can read about playing card history at the World of Playing Cards.
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