Giardino dei Tarocchi, part one

The Hermit, detail

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After outing myself yesterday (explanation here) I feel quite confident posting this almost full body self portrait, especially since it seems to take a considerable amount of weight off my anatomy 😉

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Justice

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Not that I really need to worry too much about size in these surroundings. I am in the Giardino dei Tarocchi (Tarot Garden) where the female figures are huge and voluptuous.

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The Empress and the High Priestess

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This garden was created by French artist Niki de Saint Phalle between 1979 and 1993. Each sculpture represents one of the cards in the Tarot deck.

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Strength

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It is playful, surprising, beautiful, mind-boggling and wacky. After ten minutes you walk around like a five-year-old with your jaw at your knees.

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Death

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These photos are from a grey and rainy day in early February. I can only imagine what the place looks like on a sunny spring day. The colours and reflections must be overwhelming.

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The Hanged Man

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Many of the sculptures are hollow and some of them even have rooms which you can walk in to. More of those in the next post from this garden.

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A little bit of the meandering footpath in which Niki has carved the story of the ideas and the realisation of the garden. She finishes with Siamo bravi – We are good! Indeed they were. This is a fantastic place and a labour of love.

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The Giardino dei Tarocchi is located in the southwest corner of Tuscany, in the province of Grosseto, near the Lazio region border. You’ll find it close to the village of Pescia Fiorentina, and you’ll probably need a car to reach it.

I will be forever greatful to my driver Alina for this fabulous day trip, which also included the magical San Galgano abbey ruins.

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