Rider-Waite

The Rider-Waite Tarot deck, also known as the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, is a tarot deck created by Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. It was first published in 1909 by the Rider Company in London. The deck is considered one of the most popular and widely used tarot decks in the world, and it is known for its detailed and symbolic illustrations. The deck is also considered one of the first "fully illustrated" tarot decks, meaning that each card features a detailed picture, rather than just symbols or simple illustrations.

Waite, who was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a secret society interested in the occult and mysticism, commissioned the artist Pamela Colman Smith to illustrate the deck. The Rider-Waite Tarot deck was designed to make the tarot more accessible to people, by providing clear and detailed illustrations that could help the user interpret the cards.

The deck is known for its rich symbolism and for its use of Christian and Hermetic imagery, which reflects the influences of Waite's involvement in the Golden Dawn, as well as his interest in Christian mysticism. The Rider-Waite Tarot deck remains a popular choice for tarot readers and collectors to this day, and it is considered a classic in the tarot community.