Italian Nobleman of the Fifteenth Century From a Playing card engraved on Copper about 1460 Cabinet des Estampes National Library of Paris, circa 1465

The caption reads: “italian nobleman of the fifteenth century. From a playing-card engraved on copper about 1460 (cabinet des estampes, national library of paris). ” project gutenberg text 10940. — this is a free reproduction of engraving no. 5 from the e-series of the so-called mantegna tarocchi; the reproduction misses the ornamental margin and the original caption of the engraving, reading e --- zintilomo · v · --- 5 (“zintilomo” is venetian dialect for gentleman). Today, the mantegna tarocchi are no longer regarded as playing cards; they may have had some educational purpose and were probably made around 1465 by an unknown artist in ferrara. Date: circa 1465.