Baccio Baldini 1565/66
Discorso sopra la Mascherata della Geneologia degl'Iddei de' Gentili
In December/February 1565 (1566) Francesco de Medici (heir of the dukedom of Tuscany, compare genealogy) married Johanna of Austria with a great spectacle, a Trionfo on the streets at night, illuminated by 1000's of torches. The idea was developed by the mythograph of the Medici court, Vincenco Borghini, and the costumes were designed by Giorgio Vasari. The honoured poet was Hesiod, who - shown as a single person with a flafg in 5 colors symbolizing the elements - opened the spectacle. The following Trionfo, performed in gigantical dimensions, had 21 chariots ... and this specific detail makes the event of special interest for Trionfi and Tarot research.
The Mascherata was described by Baccio Baldini and the text is given complete at an online edition in Italian language. Baldini starts with the last chariot and ends with the first.
Content of the text
- Frontespizio] - p. 1
- 0. (Fool ?) - Canzoni della mascherata (p. 3)
- 21. Demorgone20. Heaven - Secondo Carro del Cielo (p. 18)
- 19. Saturn - Terzo Carro di Saturno (p. 23)
- 18. Sun - Quarto Carro del Sole (p. 29)
- 17. Jupiter - Quinto Carro di Giove (p. 37)
- 16. Mars - Sesto Carro di Marte (p. 44)
- 15. Venus - Settimo Carro di Venere (p. 50)
- 14. Mercury - Ottavo Carro di Mercurio (p. 57)
- 13. Moon - Nono Carro della Luna (p. 61)
- 12. Minerva - Decimo Carro di Minerva (p. 65)
- 11. Vulcan - Undicesimo Carro di Vulcano (p. 73)
- 10. Juno - Dodicesimo Carro di Giunone (p. 78)
- 9. Neptun - Tredicesimo Carro di Nettuno (p. 85)
- 8. Okeanos and Thetis - Quattordicesimo Carro dell'Oceano e di Tetide (p. 98)
- 7. Pan - Quidicesimo Carro di Pan (p. 101)
- 6. Pluto and Proserpina - Sedicesimo Carro di Plutone e Proserpina (p. 106)
- 5. Cybele - Diciassettesimo Carro di Cibele (p. 112)
- 4. Diana - Diciottesimo Carro di Diana (p. 114)
- 3. Ceres - Diciannovesimo Carro di Cerere (p. 117)
- 2. Bacchus - Ventesimo Carro di Bacco (p. 120)
- 1. Ianus - Ventunesimo Carro di Iano (p. 123)
A similarity to the sequence of the usual Tarot cards is only in small details assumable. Anyway - the Trionfi cards of the early time (Michelino deck, Boiardo poem and Sola Busca Tarocchi) had also an affinity to Greek or Latin mythology, so one can identify the mythological costruction as a successor of this earlier attempts.
(autorbis)