Master of the S-Series Tarocchi

The Master of the S-Series Tarocchi is the designation given to an anonymous Italian printmaker active circa 1470. This master is recognized for a small, highly influential body of early Renaissance engravings often linked to didactic or educational print cycles that systematically cataloged subjects such as the nine muses, virtues, and celestial spheres.

The artist’s known output includes seven prints represented in major public collections, demonstrating a sophisticated command of line engraving typical of 15th-century Northern Italian workshops. Noteworthy extant prints held in the database include allegorical and classical figures such as Erato, Melpomene, and Iupiter (Jupiter), alongside moralistic subjects like Faith, plate 40 from Genii and Virtues, and cosmological diagrams such as Octava Spera (Eighth Sphere).

The historical importance of these works is confirmed by their preservation in esteemed institutions. Prints by the Master of the S-Series Tarocchi are held in the collections of the National Gallery of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. As these historically significant works pass into the public domain, the high-quality prints and related downloadable artwork derived from these museum-quality originals continue to be studied by scholars.