Analysis
Analysis
To really see an image, it helps to take it apart. In this section we look at the elements a court figure is built from, the job each of them does and the features that reveal the printing method. The analyses describe general principles, do not refer to specific editions and have nothing to do with any games.
A card king must be recognisable in a split second, and yet the artist still manages to give him character.
Anatomy of a court card: how the king is drawn
Frame and margin
The image is fitted into a narrow rectangle, often with a thin frame. The artist decides in advance how much space to leave empty so that the figure does not look cramped.
If the frame is off-centre relative to the edge of the card, this may point to inaccurate registration during printing or trimming.
Double-ended design
In many decks the figure is split in half and repeated upside down. This makes it easy to view from either end, and the designer has to think especially carefully about the dividing line.
Crown and face
The crown announces rank at once, while the turn of the head, the beard and the expression set one king apart from another. Small differences in features help identify a particular design.
Robes
The mantle, collar and fabric patterns convey the spirit of the period in which the design was made. Folds are usually reduced to a few confident lines that are easy to print.
Attribute in hand
A sceptre, sword, orb or other object gives the figure meaning and helps tell the characters of different suits apart without peering at the small signs.
Suit sign and corner index
The suit symbol is placed next to the figure, and the corners carry a short index that stays visible when cards are held in a fan. These details tie the picture to the rest of the deck.
Card printing techniques
| Technique | How to recognise it | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Woodcut | A bold, slightly rough outline; colour is often applied by hand or by stencil and spills a little over the lines. | Early European decks, when printing from a carved block was the main way to reproduce an image. |
| Copper engraving | Fine lines and cross-hatching, with a clearly visible plate mark pressed into the paper. | The heyday of hand engraving, when decks became more refined and detailed. |
| Lithography | Soft tonal transitions, a grainy texture instead of lines, even areas of flat colour. | The period when printing from stone made multicoloured decks more affordable. |
| Offset | A magnifying glass reveals a regular grid of tiny dots; colours are bright and identical across the whole print run. | Modern industrial printing. |
Read next
- History
The journey of the playing card from Tang-dynasty China to the European suits and the Russian "Atlas" deck of 1862.
- People
Designer, engraver, printer, card maker, collector and curator: the people behind every deck.
- Collections
Three reading routes: court cards and kings, card backs and patterns, small decks and patience.
- Events
Print exhibitions, collectors' fairs, museum talks and printmaking workshops, and how to check an announcement.
- Articles
Six themes of the magazine, from the first decks to caring for old cards, plus the catalogue of English-language articles.
Sources
- Museum catalogues and publications on printmaking
- Encyclopaedic sources on the history of book illustration
Dates and facts about the history of playing cards come from open encyclopaedic and museum sources; where historians disagree, we try to say so. Please check the times, venues and admission arrangements for exhibitions and lectures with the organisers.