The Ship
Original Minchiate Card
Based on an extant Card
3.3 x 6.5"
Watercolor and 23k Gold Leaf on Pasteboard.
Unframed. 
Original Minchiate card handmade using historical techniques and materials. The card was handcrafted by making pasteboard from multiple layers of acid-free paper, finished with a paper wrapper, much like the inspiration piece. The design was embellished with 23k genuine gold leaf, burnished to a high shine and tooled to create the background pattern. Finally, the figures were painted using handmade watercolors.
This piece is based on the Ship card created in 15th Century, Northern Italy.
The game of Tarocchi, or Tarot, became popular in 15th Century Italy.  Minchiate is a similar game. Wealthy patrons would have commissioned hand painted decks with elaborate painting and gilding on each of the unique cards. There are only a precious few of these decks still in existence.