The Lost Tarot

The Lost Tarot is a 78-card deck with a distinctive medieval theme, conceived by Austrian-born screenwriter and photo-based artist Hans Bauer. The deck is presented as a journey into "hinterlands where the veil has been lifted," blending fact and fiction to create a world of magical realism. It aims to transport the viewer to "masked, mystical, chimerical cities and citizens of the mind," reflecting Bauer's artistic vision of transition points between worlds.

The deck includes the standard 78 tarot cards, along with two bonus cards: a monochrome photo portrait of a character named William Bradford and an early version of a Knight card, bringing the total to 80 cards. The cards are designed to be 3" x 6" with rounded corners, printed on glossy card stock, and feature a radiant golden back. They are housed in a tuck box. A companion guide, authored by certified Tarot professional Carly Fischer, is available separately or as part of various bundles.

Bauer's artistic philosophy, as described in the campaign, centers on creating images that are "perceivably strange and ethereal," where subjects and landscapes merge into a dreamlike reality. The deck is positioned as a "visible proof of my odyssey - there and back again," inviting users to explore these imaginative territories through the lens of tarot. The campaign also offered a replica of "William Bradford's Testamentum," a fictional chronicle detailing the deck's origins, adding a layer of immersive lore to the product.

This deck is ideal for tarot enthusiasts and collectors who appreciate a strong narrative and a unique, immersive theme. Readers interested in medieval aesthetics, historical fantasy, or magical realism will find its imagery and lore particularly appealing. It also suits those who value a deck with a distinct artistic vision from a creator with a background in storytelling, offering a rich, imaginative experience beyond standard tarot interpretations.

Hans Bauer is an Austrian-born artist with a diverse background as a screenwriter for films like "Anaconda" and "Titan A.E.," and a novelist. His artistic journey led him to create photo-based art, which he describes as an exploration of "hinterlands where the veil has been lifted," merging fact and fiction. The Lost Tarot is presented as a culmination of this odyssey, a collection of images designed to transport viewers to "landscapes of magical realism" and "transition points between worlds," reflecting his deep interest in the strange, ethereal, and chimerical aspects of imagination.