Commedia dell’Carte

This double pack of transformation playing cards was created by TV journalist Jan Bauwens and illustrated by the political cartoonist Stef van Stiphout (1931 – 1995). This set was published in 1977 by Carta Mundi for Aurelia Games, Brussels, and is a humorous look at local Belgian politicians. See the boxes►

According to Albert Field (1987) “the title of this pair of packs plays on the name of the of the 16th century form of Italian comedy that combined satire and farce. The face cards are caricatures of contemporary political figures in the guise of historical personages. One pack is Flemish, the other Walloon. The transformed pip cards are the same in both packs with the exception of the 10 of spades – in one it is the Flemish lion, and in the other, the French cock” (p.165).

For example, Willy Claes (former Secretary General of NATO) is cast as Archduke Albert VII of Austria, and Leo Tindemans (former prime minister of Belgium) as Erasmus. A bilingual booklet in French and Dutch accompanies. While each pack has different jokers and court cards both have the same colour back design. And both are housed in an attractive sleeve showing a theatre façade, with the lion and cock pulling back the curtains on each side.

Flemish pack

Walloon pack

The pip cards

Above: Commedia dell’Carte double pack of political transformation cards illustrated by Stef van Stiphout and published in 1977 by Carta Mundi for Aurelia Games, Brussels.

References

Field, Albert: Transformation Playing Cards, U.S. Games Systems Inc., Stamford, CT, 1987