The Waite-Smith tarot deck, commissioned by Arthur Edward Waite in 1909 and published by William Rider & Son, remains the most widely used set of seventy-eight cards today. Its distinct, scene-filled imagery established a standard for tarot design that persists, marking the primary achievement of British artist and illustrator Pamela Colman Smith.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1878 at Pimlico, London, Smith spent her early childhood in Manchester before relocating to Jamaica in 1889. She later moved to Brooklyn to attend the Pratt Institute starting in 1893. Under the tutelage of Arthur Wesley Dow, she developed a style influenced by Romanticism and Symbolism. She departed the institution in 1897 without completing a degree following the death of her mother.
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Upon returning to England in 1899 after the death of her father, Smith integrated into London's theatre scene. Associated with the Lyceum Theatre group, she worked with Dame Ellen Terry, Henry Irving, and Bram Stoker, contributing to stage and costume design. Her illustration career included projects for William Butler Yeats, Jack Yeats, and Stoker, specifically his 1911 novel, The Lair of the White Worm.
Publishing and Galleries
In 1903, she founded The Green Sheaf, a magazine that ran for thirteen issues. This led to the establishment of The Green Sheaf Press in 1904, which focused on works by women writers. In 1907, Alfred Stieglitz featured her paintings at his New York gallery, marking the first time a painter held a solo show in a space previously dedicated to photography.
Occultism and Later Years
Influenced by Yeats, Smith joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1901. Following the order's fracture, she moved to the Independent and Rectified Rite of the Golden Dawn. In 1911, she converted to the Catholic Church. Following the First World War, she moved to Cornwall, eventually relocating to Bude in the early 1940s, where she died in 1951.
Fast facts
- Born: 1878, Pimlico
- Died: 1951, Bude
- Education: Pratt Institute
- Known for: Waite-Smith tarot deck
- Religion: Catholic Church
- Press founded: The Green Sheaf Press
- Nickname: Pixie
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the Waite-Smith tarot deck?
It introduced full scenes with figures and symbols on all cards, including the pips, becoming the most popular 78-card deck.
Did she work with Jamaican folklore?
Yes, she wrote and illustrated Annancy Stories and Chim-Chim, Folk Stories from Jamaica, which featured Anansi the Spider.
