Excerpts From A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot
Tarot As Seen by A. E. Waite and Pamela Coleman
Most of us started our journey into the world of Tarot with the deck created by A.E. Waite and illustrated by Pamela Coleman Smith. Being so, it seems only fitting that actual work of these purveyors of modern Tarot be given a space to be studied by all. In that spirit I have created this section filled with their writing and art. The text is from Waite's "The Pictorial Key to the Tarot." The images are scans of the earliest Rider-Waite Deck I could find (circa 1910). Click the links to below to read A. E. Waite's interpretation of the different tarot cards. The thumbnail images throughout the text are linked to larger images of the Tarot cards created by Pamela Coleman Smith.
![Portrait of A. E. Waite](/tarot-interpretations/images/waite.jpg)
Arthur E. Waite
![Portrait of the Ryder Waite Deck Illustrator Pamela Coleman Smith](/tarot-interpretations/images/coleman.jpg)
Pamela Coleman
Cards of The Tarot Major Arcana
The Fool The Magician The High Priestess The Empress The Emperor The Hierophant The Lovers The Chariot Strength The Hermit Wheel of Fortune Justice The Hanged Man Death Temperance The Devil The Tower The Star The Moon The Sun Judgment The World
Cards of The Tarot Wands
Ace, Two, Three, Four, and Five of Wands Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten of Wands Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Wands
Cards of The Tarot Cups
Ace, Two, Three, Four, and Five of Cups Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten of Cups Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Cups
Cards of The Tarot Swords
Ace, Two, Three, Four, and Five of Swords Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten of Swords Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Swords
Cards of The Tarot Pentacles (Disks)
Ace, Two, Three, Four, and Five of Pentacles Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten of Pentacles Page, Knight, Queen, and King of Pentacles