Bēhance: Mesoamerican Playing Cards by Hector Perez

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Bēhance: Mesoamerican Playing Cards by Hector Perez

16 Jun

Hector Perez is an American artist. He decided to design his own concept of hand illustrated playing card deck devoted to early Mesoamerican civilization (the complex of indigenous cultures that developed in parts of Mexico and Central America prior to Spanish exploration and conquest in the 16th century). Courts and Jokers are inspired by appropriate ancient gods and goddesses. These playing cards have a little bit unusual faces (even for one way cards), but they keep the classic Anglo-French playing card hierarchy. Each god and goddess is identified by colour, and by ear jewelry that relates to each of the suits. The number cards are identified by the number of rings as well as the suits.

Unfortunately, the colourful lines with the names of cards make this deck as unusual as unpractical. Playing card collectors… and especially playing card players know that any colourful part (including black) of playing card faces having white or light background marks each card when it touches any edge of the card and isn’t equally repeated in all cards. But some fading effect can make these cards more practical and save their originality quite nicely. Also it is strange that number cards don’t have their names in contrast to the courts and aces.

© Hector Perez 2014

Mesoamerican Playing Cards by Hector Perez

Mesoamerica-Playing-Cards-by-Hector-Perez