Engraved, then illuminated
Tarot glossary
The Sola Busca designs were printed from engraved metal plates, whose cut lines supplied contour, parallel shading, and cross-hatching. Colour and metallic details were then added by hand to the complete Brera pack in Venice in 1491. Engraving and illumination are therefore separate stages. The artist responsible for the printed design need not be the person who coloured it.