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Document 28



Florence, 1463

Similar decree to that of December 1450, now together with the allowance of Ronfa and Cricce.

(Source: Franco Pratesi)

It's the first Italian note to the game Ronfa (this game is first noted in France 1414). Compare the article to Ronfa.

Interpretation of the document (stand May 2006)

Generally I see a first Trionfi card movement in the years 1441-1442 and a second phase between 1450-1454. The document of 1463 might indicate a 3rd greater phase, which finally did lead to develop Trionfi cards in mass production in the 70ies of 15th century. In the discussion I mentioned:

"When Florence made a restart in matters of Trionfi deck production 1463 and moved a little bit to mass production, then the general situation changed of course. In Ferrara the courtly production of Trionfi cards stopped 1463 ... this might indicate, that the theme has lost its exclusivity and perhaps became uninteresting for the idle duke Borso just with the popularization in Florence.

When we assume a "restarted" Trionfi deck production in Florence, we should observe, what happened in Florence just in this year:
  • Giovanni di Medici died, his brother Pietro became the new heir in th Medici house.
  • The Villa in Careggi becomes the new home of the Platonic Academy.
  • Lorenzo beccame 14 years old (a crucial year, he was then perceived as grown-up).
  • Luigi Pulci, who in 1461 entered the service of the Medici and has strong influence on the young Lorenzo.
  • Both remaining older Medici (Pietro and Cosimo) are rather sick: Cosimo will die soon. Pietro cannot move himself easily. All expectations look at the young Lorenzo.
Card playing was for young persons. The logical reason for the new production in Florence is the adolescence of Lorenzo. Pulci should be the poetical spirit behind it, but of course the more noble members of the academy are also of influence.

1466: Later Pulci writes the letter to Lorenzo, in which he mentions the word Minchiate. Pulci in 2 of his poems uses words, which ironize the word Minchiate (these words and their meaning are unclear ... these words are only used by Pulci, as far the internet knows them).

I could imagine, that there were 2 (or even more) creative Florentine outputsin the time 1463 - 1466): One a little more serious and more influenced by the serious members of the Platonic academy and still called "trionfi cards" (1463), and then a next version called "Minchiate" and prefering humorous aspects and dominated by Pulci's influence (later, perhaps 1465 or 1466).
And we've the 6 cards, which are added to the Pierpont-Morgan-Bergamo-deck as another relict of the "creative time in Florence" (according to my own interpretation)."

(Note autorbis)