Volume 8–4 (Low Res).pdf - U&lc

6
In France, at the close of the century,
the provost of Paris decreed that working
people could not play at tennis, bowls, dice,
cards or nine-pins on working days. In
Bologna, Italy, St. Bernardino delivered sermons
labeling cards the invention of the devil.
Nevertheless, the fun and games continued.
By the 15th century, card-making
was a well developed craft, employing
painters, etchers, woodblock. cutters,
engravers and printers throughout Europe.
In17th century England, the traffic in playing
cards was so heavy, a ban was placed
on imports from the continent to protect
home industry. It was a money-maker for
the government, too, when Parliament
levied a tax on each. pack. sold- a quaint
custom. that persists to this day.
. The changing designs and esthetics of
playing cards through the centuries is end-
fess cyfasciriating . The earliest Chinese packs
were long and narrow, with markings like
the money of the period. Early decks from
India were round, with as many as ten suits,
each one representing one of the incarnations
of the Hindu god, Vishnu. In Europe,
cards designed exclusively for the p leasure
of royalty were sumptuous affairs - each
card hand painted and often illuminated
with gold or silver. But when they were