concept

Egyptomania

Europe’s later fashion for Egyptian look and lore: furniture, tarot Egypt, and occult “keys of life.” A modern reception, not a temple archive.

Eighteenth-century Europe

Egyptomania influenced Tarot.
Court de Gébelin presented tarot as Egyptian wisdom in 1781. The claim is historically important as a modern origin-story, not as Egyptology.
from Antoine Court de Gébelin · Monde primitif, 1781 (tarot essay)
influenced · sourced · modern interpretation
Ankh is associated with Egyptomania.
Eighteenth- and later European fashion borrowed the looped cross as an Egyptian look. Court de Gébelin’s Egypt is a modern claim about tarot, kin to that fashion.
from Antoine Court de Gébelin · Monde primitif, 1781 (tarot essay)
associated with · sourced · modern interpretation
Pyramid is associated with Egyptomania.
Later Europe made the pyramid a silhouette of mystery and “energy.” That is reception, not a mason’s brief.
from Antoine Court de Gébelin · Monde primitif, 1781 (tarot essay)
associated with · sourced · modern interpretation
Eighteenth-century Europe is associated with Egyptomania.
Antiquarian Egypt and tarot-Egypt belong to that Europe. Court de Gébelin is a dated claim.
from Antoine Court de Gébelin · Monde primitif, 1781 (tarot essay)
associated with · sourced · modern interpretation