The Cultural Association “Le Tarot” has been founded in 1986 by Prof. Andrea Vitali, its actual president, who wanted to gather around himself eminent researchers of the most varied disciplines with the aim to investigate the archetypical, symbolic and allegorical universe. Fields of exploration are history of the religions, of the philosophical thought, of theatre, of music, and anthropology and Jungian analysis as well.

Particularly, the advanced studies about medieval symbolism that had been conducted for a long time already by professor Vitali himself, brought the Association to deal with history of tarots in critical and analytical ways, the most complete symbolic system of the medieval Occident in which historical elements are condensed concerning the disciplines mentioned above, placing side by side a work to inform about such studies for the recovery of inherent ancient documents of the matter. We remember particularly the financial intervention that has allowed the restoration of the illuminated cards of the  XV century, a work of an artist from Ferrara, preserved in the Museum of Ursino Castle in Catania, known as “Alessandro Sforza Tarots”.

The scientific care of the most important exposures introduced in Italy on the symbolic universe of  tarots (please, visit the link:  Realized Exhibitions on Tarots) created with material of ownership of the Association and through loans granted by the most famous institutions museum of the world, is alternated in 30 years of activity with the planning and the making of exposures about different other matters, such as the history of the witchcraft and the inquisition, the three monotheistic religions, the devil, the prophetic arts and numerous others (please, visit the link: Other Realized Exhibitions ).

The Association has produced its own publishing line in which has put searches and studies effected in the numerous years of its activity (please, visit the link: Le Tarot Editions); while other essays written by professor Vitali or by members of the Association, are present in the catalogues of the exhibitions made by the Association. Other works have been published by the Edizioni Martina in Bologna  and By Lo Scarabeo in Turin (see the link Publication)

In the specific, professor Andrea Vitali, besides the scientific care of the exposures, has spent much time studying the iconology of the Triumphs (Greater Arcane) of the tarots, reaching the deciphering of the most symbolic allegories (please, visit the link: Andrea Vitali's Iconological Essays). His last discoveries in iconographic field and on the history of the tarots in general can be learned visiting the link:  News, where it is also possible to get information about the imminent expositive, editorial activities and meeting of the Association.

In the meanwhile of the long and variegated run of historical studies, the Association has retrieved a notable patrimony of works concerning the matters object of its investigations: Five hundred, Six and Seven hundred books, the more important illustrated essays of iconology of Renaissance and Baroque epoch, manuscripts, ivories, majolica and tapestries, ancient game boxes or lacquer, etc.

With these works and with loans of private collectors, the Association has structured exposures of great historical, artistic and documentary value, now available. To know the matters and the contents of these exposures, see the links: Tarots: History, Art, Magic (exposure presented under the Aegis of the Office of the Cultural and Environmental Good) and Other Available Exhibitions.

Close to the historical investigation, the Association, through the competences of its President, has developed and now develops all historical-scientific and artistic consultations for Public corporations in the occasion of important demonstrations and thematic festival concerning the most varied matters.