Le Jeu de Marseille
Having deconstructed traditional, bourgeois playing card symbolism they produced new, liberated designs expressing their own beliefs and values. The court cards were persons expressing new, revolutionary ideals.
![](https://www.wopc.co.uk/images/boxes/le-jeu-de-marseille.jpg)
“Le Jeu de Marseille” ~ myth, dreams & imagination...
In the 1940s André Breton and a group of his Surrealist friends (Wifredo Lam, Max Ernst, Jacqueline Lamba, Oscar Dominguez, Victor Brauner, Jacques Hérold, André Masson and Frédéric Delanglade) were stranded in the French port of Marseilles whilst attempting to escape Nazi-occupied Europe and gain passage to America. Having deconstructed traditional, bourgeois playing card symbolism they produced new, liberated designs expressing their own beliefs and values. The court cards were persons representing new, revolutionary ideals. As Breton was a Communist, the conventional court hierarchy denoting military power and rank was unacceptable: these were re-named Genius, Siren and Magus...
![](https://www.wopc.co.uk/images/countries/france/grimaud/le-jeu-de-marseille-1.jpg)
Above: cards from “Le Jeu de Marseille” published by Grimaud, Paris, 1983. The designs were first published in VVV Magazine (devoted to the dissemination of Surrealism), New York in 1943. Images courtesy Barney Townshend.
Having deconstructed traditional playing card designs, Breton wanted a thorough reinvention along Surrealist principles. The suits were renamed: Locks (black) for knowledge, Wheels (red) for revolution, Stars (black) for dreams and Flames (red) for love and desire. Surrealist ideas inspired many young artists to move away from conventional views of artistic composition towards abstract expressionism.
![](https://www.wopc.co.uk/images/countries/france/grimaud/le-jeu-de-marseille-2.jpg)
The “Jeu de Marseille” was eventually produced as a full deck of cards (with the original sketches being reworked slightly) in 1983 and has been reprinted several times. • See also: Salvador Dalí Surrealist Playing Cards →
![avatar](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/barney-townshend/barney-townshend.04c8290f.jpg)
By Barney Townshend
Member since October 06, 2015
Retired Airline Pilot, interested in: Transformation Playing Cards, Karl Gerich and Elaine Lewis. Secretary of the EPCS. Treasurer of the IPCS.
Related Articles
![Whist by Ditha Moser Whist by Ditha Moser](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13634-whist-by-ditha-moser/images/moser-whist-0.d1c39ddf.jpg)
Whist by Ditha Moser
Ditha Moser created this minimalist Whist deck in 1905, in the style of the Vienna Secession art mov...
![Le Journal de Mickey Le Journal de Mickey](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13629-le-journal-de-mickey/images/le-journal-de-mickey-0.85c1c9d8.jpg)
Le Journal de Mickey
Perforated sheet of cards with Disney characters issued with the magazine Le Journal de Mickey.
![Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13628-tarot-hieroglyphique-egyptien/images/tarot-hieroglyphique-0.95da2666.jpg)
Tarot hiéroglyphique égyptien
The design of the cards draws inspiration from various religious and philosophical traditions merged...
![Keith Haring playing cards Keith Haring playing cards](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13625-keith-haring-playing-cards/images/keith-haring-0.b66e67d7.jpg)
Keith Haring playing cards
Energetic graffiti images by the American artist Keith Haring.
![La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut) La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13621-la-reussite-sebastien-feraut/images/la-reussite-0.edcce81c.jpg)
La Réussite (Sébastien Féraut)
Sébastien Féraut’s designs inspired by the animal kingdom for a set promoting patience games.
![Le Tarot de Sète Le Tarot de Sète](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13618-le-tarot-de-sete/images/tarot-de-sete-0.28b7d0c8.jpg)
Le Tarot de Sète
Reinterpretation of the Tarot de Marseille by Julien Labat, an artist from Sète.
![Oracle Rock Oracle Rock](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13616-oracle-rock/images/oracle-rock-0.e47a1681.jpg)
Oracle Rock
Cartomantic set depicting rock and pop stars, designed by La Rata, with a book by Virginie Despentes...
![Jeu Numismatique Jeu Numismatique](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13614-jeu-numismatique/images/jeu-numismatique-0.705a13e4.jpg)
Jeu Numismatique
European coins of all periods replace the traditional courts and pips.
![Jeu Philatélique Jeu Philatélique](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13612-jeu-philatelique/images/jeu-philatelique-0.24dd899e.jpg)
Jeu Philatélique
Cards with French postage stamps featuring famous literary figures.
![Tarot Philatélique Tarot Philatélique](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13610-tarot-philatelique/images/tarot-philatelique-0.cfbf374d.jpg)
Tarot Philatélique
Tarot game pack with French postage stamps on all the courts, aces and trumps.
![Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13608-jeu-philatelique-les-colonies-francaises/images/jeu-philatelique-0.2cba297e.jpg)
Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises
Philatelic card game featuring real postage stamps from the French colonies.
![Seminole Wars deck Seminole Wars deck](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13595-seminole-wars-deck/images/seminole-wars-0.86c14810.jpg)
Seminole Wars deck
Seminole Wars deck by J. Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1819.
![Carte di Natale Carte di Natale](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13590-carte-di-natale-pier-canosa/images/carte-di-natale-0.e9e8a842.jpg)
Carte di Natale
Designed by Pier Canosa as a Christmas pack for the Cortina Art Gallery in Milan.
![Tarot Actuel 1984 Tarot Actuel 1984](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13584-tarot-actuel-1984/images/tarot-actuel-0.1d4502fc.jpg)
Tarot Actuel 1984
Major arcana to cut out, issued with the French magazine Actuel, using photographic images.
![Queen of Arts Queen of Arts](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13582-queen-of-arts/images/queen-of-arts-0.d681d02e.jpg)
Queen of Arts
A wide variety of women artists celebrated on cards with illustrations by Laura Callaghan.
![Fredericks & Mae playing cards Fredericks & Mae playing cards](http://www.wopc.co.uk/core/cache-wopc-thumbs/simonwintle/13581-fredericks-and-mae-playing-cards/images/fredericks-mae-0.4aa12248.jpg)
Fredericks & Mae playing cards
A rainbow pack from the design team of Fredericks & Mae and Benjamin English.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days