Genius of the Sun (from the Tarocchi, series B: Cosmic Principles & Virtues, #31)

1467

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory Ferrara

Dominant colour

Genius of the Sun (from the Tarocchi, series B: Cosmic Principles & Virtues, #31) is a 1467 by Master of the E-Series Tarocchi, a Renaissance work, depicting Ferrara, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Master of the E-Series Tarocchi
When & what style?: 1467 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A winged figure in a flowing robe holds a sunburst above their head. Golden rays spill across the sky, and tiny stars dot the dark background. This print comes from a deck of cards called the *Tarocchi*—not for games, but for learning. Each card shows a different idea, like time, faith, or light. This one represents the sun’s power, but the artist never signed their name, so we call them the *Master of the E-Series Tarocchi*. To see more strange and smart cards like this, look up *italy, ferrara, 15th century*.

The story of this work

Overview

This engraving is part of the group marked with the letter “B”, and named Cosmic Principles and the Virtues , which comprises the three Universal principles or Genii (Light, Time, and Space) alongside the four cardinal virtues (Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude and Justice) and the three theological ones (Faith, Hope, and Charity). The three allegorical figures of the Genii open group B and appear to be an artistic invention of the author of the Tarocchi series. Here, Iliaco (Genius or Spirit of the Sun) personifies the Sun which is thought to be the soul of the world. He is shown as a winged…

Did you know?

This is the second personification of the sun that appears within the set of Tarocchi, after the engraving displaying Apollo (1924.432.20) and before the one showing the sun as a star (1924.432.44).

Read the full account in the museum source.