Cleveland Museum of Art

The Doge (from the Tarocchi, series E: Conditions of Man, #7)

Master of the E-Series Tarocchi

Date

before 1467

Medium

engraving hand-colored with gold

Culture

Italy, Ferrara, 15th century

Department

Prints

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This engraving is part of the Tarocchi group marked with the letter “E,” and named Conditions of Man . This series outlines the social and hierarchical order of ten characters (Beggar, Servant, Artisan, Merchant, Gentleman, Knight, Doge King, Emperor, and Pope), starting from the lower grade and ending with the most important one. Here, Doxe (The Doge) is shown as a full-length male figure, turned to the left. Clasped in a long cloak, the Doge wears his distinctive pointed hat, called zoggia . The Doge was the titular head of government in Venice, and corresponded to the duke or the marquis in other parts of Italy. The Doge represented the potentate closest in power and position to a king. In the Tarocchi set the Doge is placed below the engraving displaying the King.

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