Kickstarter: Claude Monet Playing Cards (by 52 MUSEE)

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Kickstarter - Claude Monet Playing Cards (by 52 MUSEE)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/208530852/claude-monet-playing-cards-by-52-musee

Classic paintings given a fresh interpretation with holographic foil playing cards

Project ends: Thurs, 11 April 2024



Like me, you probably hadn't heard of the creator "52 MUSEE" before.  But this is just a sub-brand of the well known and respected TCC Playing Cards, which also manages the luxury brand ARK Playing Cards.  So that already tells us that we can expect quality and innovation.  This deck is the first of several that will bring to life classic works of leading artists, hence the name "Musee", which is French for museum. 

There's no mystery about which artist created the classic masterpieces found in this particular deck, because the name immediately gives that away: Claude Monet Playing Cards.  Monet (1840-1926) was a French painter and his impressionist paintings, especially in depicting nature, have led him to be considered a key founder of the impressionism movement.



Many custom decks featuring classic works of art have appeared before.  But what's unique about this project is that the cards have been printed with holographic foil, which means that the colours, look, and feel of the art will change depending on how the light falls on it. 

Would Monet have appreciated this?  Maybe he would, given how it brings his art to life in a new and unexpected way.  But regardless of what he thought, it's certainly something that will make an immediate impression on playing card collectors, and on anyone who sees these playing cards for the first time.

The project consists of two main decks, the Monet Standard Edition (a limited edition of 2000), and the Monet Gilded Edition (a limited edition of 250).

Monet Standard Edition deck

Silver foil immediately greets us with the luxury tuck box of the Standard Edition.  The blue and silver colours are inspired by Monet's famous "Water Lilies". 



The main tuck box slides out vertically from a sleeve, and then has a side-opening, from which our cards emerge.





The cards have borderless blue backs with an architectural design that incorporates aspects of the water lilies from the tuck box.





The faces of all the cards are printed with cold foil. 



They have white borders, to ensure that they remain practical for use in card games. 



The corner indices are still very clear, while allowing the majority of the canvas of the cards themselves to depict different works from Monet's output.



Here's a look at the two Jokers.



Monet Gilded Edition deck

The Gilded Edition has a similar graphic design, but the tuck box features gold foil on white. 

Like the Standard deck, the back design of the Gilded deck also has an architectural design, but the Water Lilies have been replaced with the Rouen Cathedral. 



The artwork on the card faces isn't the same as those of the Standard edition, but we have a whole new set of museum-worthy pieces. 



I think I prefer the overall collection of artwork on the Standard deck, but that's just personal taste, because there's some lovely cards in this deck too.



Many of these seem to be small thematic snapshots from larger works, with cards of the same value having a similar theme.



Finally, here's the two Jokers.



And for added luxury, this deck has cards with gold gilding. 



Monet Collection Box

While the Gilded Edition is available separately as an add-on, it is also part of a special Monet Collection Gift Box that contains both decks. Only 250 sets of these are available, and they provide a glamorous luxury packaging that is finished with silver foil. 



Given that the early bird price for this ($39) is less than what the two decks cost on their own ($16 + $25), I can see a lot of backers opting for this if they get in quickly enough.

I was really impressed with the sample decks of these I got to see.  TCC is really upping the bar with their quality, and while there are small aspects about these decks I might have done slightly differently, overall the results are superb. 

And if this means we will have more projects forthcoming showcasing art by other artists, I'm all for it!

Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/208530852/claude-monet-playing-cards-by-52-musee

[EndersGame]

There have been questions about the difference in the artwork between the two decks that are part of this project. 

I've seen the decks in person, and can confirm that the artwork featured on the cards in the two decks is completely different. So it's not just the same deck with just different card backs and different tuck box.

Here's official confirmation that the two decks are entirely different, with an overall look at the artwork that comes with each.

The Standard Deck



The Gilded Deck