Giordano Berti
Giordano Berti is an Italian writer and teacher of History of Arts.
Biography
Born in Bologna, Giordano Berti grew up in Monghidoro, a town of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. After obtaining his college diploma he went on to study history and philosophy at University of Bologna and shortly thereafter started his career of editor and writer.Berti is an established and prolific author of many books about different subjects, such as History of Esotericism in his relationship with Art. Some of Berti's books are translated in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Polish and Japanese.
He has been co-founder and president of the Istituto Graf at Bologna, an association dedicated to the research and, often, rediscovery of the Arts and Folklore. Berti frequently organises, with the patronage and support of local Councils, many Art and History exhibitions throughout Italy.
Over the decades, Giordano Berti, as director of the Istituto Graf or author of editorial projects, has collaborated with famous philosophers, art historians and artists, such as Michael Dummett, Umberto Eco, Tiziano Sclavi, Angelo Stano, Robert M. Place, Rachel Pollack.
As a worldwide renown Tarot historian, Berti was invited, as special guest, at the third World Tarot Congress, in Chicago, where he delivered a long conference titled "The Babel of Tarot, or the evolution of the 22 allegoric Triumph cards as a transformation into an esoteric language" .
Berti is consultant for two Tarot and Playing Cards great editors: Lo Scarabeo and Dal Negro.
In 2012 Giordano Berti started the project Monghidoro: the Gateway to Europe, in collaboration with art designer Letizia Rivetti and the municipal administration of Monghidoro. The project consists in a series of artworks titled "The Stones of History", permanently fixed on the squares and streets of Monghidoro. In fact this ancient village, situated on the bolognese Apennine mountains roughly halfway between Bologna and Florence, over the centuries has been the required resting place of merchants, Lords, Princes, Popes, Emperors, writers, scientists and adventurers, who during their travels found shelter in country inns or were guests at the olivetani Abbey of San Michele at Alpes.
Giordano Berti is also author of articles for numerous magazines: Fenix, Il Giornale dei Misteri, Charta, The Cartomancer, Tarot Chronicles, RILKO, Atmosphere.
In 2014 Giordano Berti created the project "Rinascimento - Italian Style Art" devoted to the reprinting of old Tarot, Sibyls and Playing cards that stand out for their beauty and rarity.
Memberships and awards
- from 1985, member of Associazione culturale Le Tarot in Faenza
- from 1992, founder and member of Istituto Graf in Bologna
- 2010, winner of "Books to Taste Award" for the best novel Tobi and the Treasure of the Alba Truffle, published by ArabaFenice, Boves, 2009
- from 2013, member of The International Tarot Society
- from 2014, member of The International Playing-cards Society
- from 2015, member of Tarot Association of the British Isles
- from 2015, author for the Order of the Knights of Truffle and the Wines of Alba
Various exhibits catalogs
- Tarot. Game and magic at Estense Court, with A. Vitali, M. Dummett, C. Gatto Trocchi, P. Marsili, G. Algeri; Ferrara, Estense Castle, October 1987 – January 1988.
- The Mose's People, with F. Cardini, C. Colafemmina, D. Liscia Bemporad, A. Grossato, A. Sermoneta; Andria, Palace of the Dukes, September–October 1998.
- Giovanni Domenico Cassini and the origins of modern astronomy, with P. A. Rossi e I. Li Vigni; Perinaldo, Municipal Palace, August–November 1997.
- Wonders of the Sea: divinities, monster, legends, dreams, illusions and discoveries in the history of Sea travelling, with F. Cardini, G. Costa, G. De Turris, C. Gatto Trocchi, P. A. Rossi, C. Widmann et al.; Comacchio, Bellini Palace, October 1995 - January 1996.
- The three jewels of Mediterranean Sea. Ritual objects of Hebrews, christian and muslims, with D. Liscia-Bemporad, F. Cardini, S. Noja Noseda, F. Patruno; Finale Emilia, Castle, September–October 2000.
- Vine and Wine in the card games and playing cards, with M. G. Lungarotti, F. Cardini, C. Gatto Trocchi, D. Domini, A. Vitali; Torgiano, ex S. Antonio's Church, November 1999 - January 2000.
- The Catholic Inquisition, with F. Cardini; Finale Emilia, Castle, September - October 2001.
- The Sons of Abraham. Judaism, Christianism and Islam in Ritual Objects and Art,, with D. Liscia Bemporad, L. Volpi, M. Bargna; Abbiategrasso, Visconti Castle, March 2004.
- The Seventeenth Century in Bologna. Baroque culture, industry and popular life, with U. Mazzone, A. Vitali, S. Arieti et al.; Bologna, D'Accursio Palace, May 2004.
- Chronicles and Wonders of the Sea. Covers of illustrated Magazines from 1840 to 1960, with M. A. Stoico, G. Costa e S. Alligo; Cesenatico, Marine Museum, December 2005.
- In the House of Andrea Mantegna. Artistic culture in Mantua during the fifteenth century, with R. Signorini et al.; Mantua, House of Mantegna, September–October 2006.
- Ferrara: his history from a collection of maps, with A. Alberghini; Ferrara, Palace Renée of France, September 2008.
- Mathers and Lands: mystery and sacrality, with A. Marini, M. Bargna, L. Volpi; Abbiategrasso, Annunciata's Church, October - November 2008.
- The Castle of Fortune: the search of good luck in the centuries, with A. Marini, M. Bargna, L. Volpi; Abbiategrasso, Visconti Castle, October – November 2009.
- The Castle of Delights: tables and foods from antiquity to modern times, with A. Marini, M. Bargna, L. Volpi; Abbiategrasso, Visconti Castle, October – November 2010.
Tarot exhibits and catalogues
- Este Castle of Ferrara,
- City Archeological Museum of Bologna,
- National Museum of Castel Sant'Angelo,,
- Barolo Palace.
- Tarocchi. Gioco e magia alla Corte degli Estensi
- Tarocchi. Le carte del destino
- Tarocchi. Art and Magic.
Historical studies about Tarot
- Tarocchi Rider-Waite. Storia, riti iniziatici e pratiche divinatorie di Arthur Edward Waite, with Rossella Ferrero.
- Antichi Tarocchi Bolognesi, with M. Chiesa and G. Crippa.
- Antichi Tarocchi Liguri-Piemontesi, with M. Chiesa and T. Depaulis.
- Antichi Tarocchi Milanesi, with M. Chiesa.
- The Sola-Busca Tarot, with M. Chiesa and S. Di Vincenzo.
- Egyptian Tarot, with T. Gonard.
- Antichi Tarocchi Marsigliesi, with T. Gonard.
- Visconti Tarot, with T. Gonard.
- Tarocchi di Aleister Crowley, with R. Negrini and R. Tebani.
- Tarot of the New Vision, with T. Gonard .
- History of Tarot. Trues and Legends about the most mysterious Cards on the World.
- Giuseppe Maria Mitelli and the Tarocchino Bolognese .
- Tarot in German countries from the 16th to the 18th Century .
Old Tarot Decks (reprints)
- Vergnano Tarot 1830, 78 cards engraved by Stefano Vergnano.
- Perrin Tarot 1865, 78 cards engraved by Claudio Perrin.
- Sola Busca Tarot 1491, 78 cards engraved by Anonymous.
- Oriental Tarot 1845, 78 cards engraved by Claudio Foudraz.
- Mitelli's Tarocchino 1660, 78 cards engraved by Giuseppe Maria Mitelli
- Marseille Tarot of Lando 1832, 78 cards published by the widow of Giuseppe Maurizio Lando.
- Marseille Tarot of Hes 1750, 78 cards published by Johann Christoph Hes.
- Besançon Tarot of Miller 1780, 78 cards published by Josef Rauch Miller.
New Tarot Decks
- Celtic Tarot, 78 illustrations by Giacinto Gaudenzi.
- Celtic Tarot, with Bepi Vigna, 78 illustrations by Antonio Lupatelli.
- Enchanted Tarot, 78 illustrations by Giacinto Gaudenzi.
- Dante's Tarot , 78 illustrations by Andrea Serio.
- Ramses. Tarot of Eternity, 78 illustrations by Severino Baraldi.
- Golden Tarot of Renaissance - Estensi Tarot, 78 illustrations by Jo Dworkin.
- Bacchus Tarot, 78 illustrations by Luigi Scapini.
- Venice Tarot, 78 illustrations by Davide Tonato.
- Angels Tarot , 78 illustrations by Arturo Picca.
- Universal Wirth Tarot, 78 illustrations by Stefano Palumbo.
- Initiatory Tarot of the Golden Dawn, 78 illustrations by Patrizio Evangelisti.
- Prophetic Tarot of the Bible, 78 illustrations by Severino Baraldi.
- Kabbalistic Tarot of Papus 1909, 78 illustrations by Gabriel Goulinat restored under the direction of Giordano Berti.
- Egyptian Tarot by Schwaller del Lubicz 1926, 25 illustrations by Lucie Lamy restored under the direction of Giordano Berti.
Sibyls and various Decks
- Zodiac Cards, 22 illustrations by Giacinto Gaudenzi.
- Paracelso Oracle Cards, 36 illustrations from an ancient book of prophecies.
- Celtic Oracle, 24 illustrations by Severino Baraldi.
- Secret Games of the Elves, 22 illustrations by Severino Baraldi.
- The Sibyl of the Heart, 40 illustrations by Rudolph Mayr painted by Stiliyan Stefanov.
- True Paths of Angels, 33 illustrations by Alessia Coppola, Araba Fenice, Boves 2017,
Other studies
- Hell's Visions. Sins and Tortures in the Art of Middle Age
- Archangels: History and Legends
- The Heretics
- Dictionary of Christian Religion
- The Other World and Afterlife
- Dictionary of Mystics
- Prayers of all the World
- Oriental Religions in the Western World
- Enoch
- History of Divination
- Angel voices
- History of Witchcraft