In this context, we may observe that the 15th century humanist scholars of the Renaissance, in seeking the original classical texts and sources, wrongly convinced themselves that Carolingian manuscripts represented original Roman manuscripts. The formalised portrait also shows similarities to 16th century French court cards which were named after ancient heroes such as 'Charles', 'Alexandre', etc. Charlemagne's companions had a private joke amongst themselves in which they pretended to be heroes from classical antiquity: Horace, Homer, Julius, King David This example shows Charles the Bald, who was king of France from 840 and emperor from 875, sitting on his jewel-studded throne. Right: Manuscript images like this were copied time and time again to depict kings or emperors through the centuries. To begin with the practice was a bit arbitrary, but by the 17th century a definite set of names had become established more →
Towards the close of the 16th century French playing card manufacturers began naming the court cards after worthy heroes in the epics of mediæval history, as narrated in chronicles, romances and legends of the day. It had been taken from a pack with which she was playing a game of piquet at the time when her opponent, King Louis XIV proposed a clandestine marriage. Mme de Maintenon kept this card in her journal. Playing card manufacturers usually try to preserve some kind of 'traditional' feel, but due to the constrained size of a playing card, as well as economy, many compressions and distortions have been introduced into the figures. The introduction of double-ended courts in the middle of the 19th century made the problem even worse. During the passage of centuries, and even though master-copies may have existed in the workshops, a number of gross errors have been made by copyists and wood-cutters, so that hands, symbols of office and other attributes have lost their meaning. Likewise, the Queens and Jacks are undoubtedly the ancestors of the English pack. All four kings in the Rouen pack wear a crown over a flat cap, and long fur-lined cloaks opening to reveal stockinged legs. A pack of such cards is preserved in the museum at Rouen. The court cards in English packs of playing cards derive from models produced by Pierre Marechal in Rouen around 1565. Collecting English Playing Cards & Games.Standard and Non-standard Playing Cards.
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