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Pamela Colman Smith

Writer's picture: Moonlight SquidMoonlight Squid

Updated: May 8, 2023


Pamela Colman Smith, sometimes known as Pixie, was a well-known artist and illustrator best recognized for her work on the Rider-Waite tarot deck. Colman Smith, who was born in London in 1878, was a skilled artist and illustrator who was involved in the Arts and Crafts movement. A.E. Waite, a mystic and novelist, commissioned her to illustrate a new tarot card, which became the Rider-Waite deck, in 1909. Her deck pictures, which include intricate and colourful scenarios, are widely regarded as some of the most iconic images in tarot history, and have been frequently duplicated and altered by other decks. Colman Smith died in 1951, yet her work remains an essential part of the tarot legacy.


Pamela Colman Smith was a multi-talented and creative artist who contributed significantly to the tarot and Arts and Crafts movements. She was a prolific artist and painter in addition to her work on the Rider-Waite tarot deck, and her work featured in various periodicals and books at the time. She was also active in theatre and was a founding member of the English suffrage movement, which advocated for women's rights and equality.


Colman Smith was noted for her particular style, which incorporated aspects of Pre-Raphaelite painting with a peculiar fairy-like feel. Her tarot images are regarded as among the first to represent intricate scenarios and figures, and they inspired many subsequent decks. Her work has been acknowledged as a significant contribution to the tarot tradition, and her legacy continues to inspire future generations of artists and readers.






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