Pamela Colman Smith: The Artist Left Out of the Deck’s Name
AdminThe 1909 deck was published by William Rider & Son. Arthur Edward Waite wrote the instructions, and Pamela Colman Smith created the 78 illustrations. Her name rarely appears in the deck’s title, which is why many people speak of the “Smith-Waite deck.” This is an injustice people increasingly notice, and it deserves a closer look.
Why did this happen? Partly because of the way the publishing market worked at the start of the twentieth century. The publisher and the author of the text gained recognition, while the artist often remained in the shadows, especially if working on commission. Smith was no exception: her work was treated as illustration rather than an independent creative contribution, even though it was the visual language of the deck that made it famous.
Who she was
Smith was not only an artist but also a member of the occult circle. This was a double role: on one hand she shared the interest in symbols and rituals, on the other she remained an artist who thought about composition, rhythm and expressiveness. This combination gave the deck its power: the images are at once understandable and full of meaning.
Smith received a one-off fee for the work, yet her images became the language of tarot for a century to come.
Her mark on modern decks
Today Smith’s illustrations are considered the most influential visual language in tarot. Wikipedia notes that her scenes on the Minor Arcana became a model for many decks. Before her, most Minor Arcana cards showed only rows of objects, without a narrative. Smith added scenes, and this changed the whole later tradition.
Today many contemporary artists who create decks work within the logic Smith set: they keep the symbolism and reinterpret the scenes. This shows that her contribution lives not in a single deck but in the very way of thinking about cards as stories.
Copyright and legacy
A separate question is copyright. The original 1909 illustrations are considered public domain in many countries, but the rules depend on jurisdiction. Later recoloured editions from 1971 are protected, so when publishing images it is worth checking which version you are using.
For readers it is useful to remember that recognition comes slowly. Smith’s name is increasingly heard in exhibitions, articles and reviews, and that is a good sign. If you want to support this justice, begin by naming the deck not only after the publisher and Waite, but also after its artist.
If you want to learn more about Smith’s life and work, start with the Battersea Society article. The general picture of the deck and its creators is given by the Wikipedia article.
Looking at her life more broadly, Smith was not only an illustrator. She worked in theatre, practiced art and took part in the cultural life of her time. These activities help explain where her expressive manner came from.
Sources
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