Slavic Tarock

Smrekar received a commission for playing cards from the First Slavic Playing Cards Factory in Ljubljana. The factory’s intention was to evoke through them memories of life and history of the Slavic peoples among the Slavic patriots.
Imperial-Royal police authorities in Ljubljana prohibited the distribution of the cards with a decree in 1916, citing a risk to public order. The demand for the ban came from the command of the “Fifth Army” that defended Austrian borders on the Isonzo Front under the leadership of General Svetozar Borojević. The cards were apparently found with Slovenian and Slavic soldiers on the front and the army was worried they would threaten the military discipline and patriotic zeal.
Smrekar depicted various ethnographic motifs of different Slavic nations on the cards and paid close attention to national costumes of different peoples. He found inspiration in illustrations of the encyclopaedia Die österreichisch-ungarische Monarchie in Wort und Bild (The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in Word and Picture), alongside reproductions of pictures by Slavic painters.

The Goose Girl on one half of the card is possibly based on a Bulgarian design, while the Shepherd Boy in a Fur Hat is shown wearing a Serbian šubara. These genre scenes of a shepherd boy and goose girl could belong to any setting. Their clothes are not particularly distinctive and we find similar illustrations in several volumes of Die Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie in Wort und Bild (The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in Word and Picture; ÖMWB). Ivana Kobilca (1861–1926) is among the other artists to have chosen a goose girl as a subject. Her sketch was included in a portfolio of sketches from Bosnia and Herzegovina published by the Sarajevo Artists’ Club (Bildermappe des Sarajevoer Maler-Clubs, 1901).

I (Ace) - Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards — Tarock, (1910–1912)
I – Goose Herder; Shepherd-Boy with a Fur Cap

Driving Out Winter is a typically Slavic motif, in this case from Slovakia, where a straw effigy representing Death is ceremonially carried out of the village. The custom of Young Summer is symbolised by a sheaf or bundle of greenery adorned with ribbons and blown eggshells (in Slovenia the same tradition of driving out Winter is followed in Podkoren). Both illustrations are modelled on those of the Czech painter Adolf Liebscher (1857–1919) in the first of the two volumes dedicated to Bohemia.

II - Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912)
II – Driving Out Winter; Summer in Its Prime

Kurent the Ploughman is a custom that is also known in the Štajerska (Lower Styria), Dolenjska (Lower Carniola) and Prekmurje (Transmurania) regions. The kurent (a traditional carnival figure) is accompanied by a man dressed as a woman and carrying a basket, in which he collects a traditional gift – a sausage and eggs – at each house. Smrekar’s illustration is based on a drawing by Jurij Šubica (1855–1890) entitled Carnival Ploughing, his contribution to the volume of the ÖMWB dedicated to Styria.

The Turoj is a traditional Polish carnival figure consisting of a man wrapped in a blanket with a horned animal mask on his head. As well as at carnival, this figure is seen accompanying wedding musicians and wassailers. Smrekar’s illustration faithfully follows the illustration by the Polish artist Julian Fałat (1853–1929) in the volume dedicated to Galicia.

III - Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912)
III – ‘Kurent’ the Plougman; The Polish Traditional Mask ‘Turonj’

The drawing Work Around the Farmhouse Stove depicts a scene in which young men are helping young women spin. It recreates an illustration by the Czech artist Adolf Liebscher in the first of the Bohemian volumes. The image of a team of three horses pulling a sleigh – the Russian Troika – was a popular one in Russian painting and scenes of this type also reach a high level in Polish and Czech painting, for example in scenes of galloping horses harnessed to a sleigh, either in the context of a sleigh ride for amusement or racing to escape ravenous wolves in the middle of a snow-covered forest landscape, such as in the paintings of Alfred Wierusz-Kowalski (1849–1915) or Józef Chełmoński (1849–1914). The troika was also a common motif in the oeuvre of the Slovak painter Jaroslav Věšín (1860‒1915), who painted genre scenes from the everyday life in rural Slovakia and Bulgaria. Smrekar undoubtedly took advantage of the reproductions of their paintings that regularly appeared in the publication Dom in svet.

IV - Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912)
IV — Odd jobs by the Farm Stove; The Russian Troika

V – The Lajkonik is a traditional figure from the carnival procession in Kraków and the surrounding area. It is also connected with a popular holiday commemorating a victory over the Tatars that takes place after the feast of Corpus Christi. The Lajkonik is a man dressed as a Tatar riding a wooden hobby horse. Accompanied by other Tatars, he prances towards the government building. Smrekar’s drawing is based on the illustration Konik Zwierzyniecki in Krakau by Zygmunt Ajdukiewicz (1861‒1917) in the Galicia volume. Killing the Cock is a game of skill in Slovakia, in which the entire village community takes part. A cock is tethered to a post and a blindfolded man attempts to strike it with a stick. The drawing is based on the illustration by Adolf Liebscher in the first of the volumes dedicated to Bohemia.

V – Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
V – The ‘Lajkonik’ Traditional Carnival Mask from Kraków; Killing the Cock

VI – The Moreška is a sword dance from the town of Korčula, on the Croatian island of the same name. The dance represents two armies – one Christian and the other Moorish. With sword and dagger, the “White King” and the “Black King” engage in a mock battle over the fate of the captured maiden Bula, who is betrothed to Osman, the White King. The drawing is based on an illustration by the Serbian painter Paja Jovanović in the volume dedicated to Dalmatia. An illustration by the Polish painter Tadeusz Rybkowski (1848‒1926) from the Galicia volume is the source of the scene depicting a Wedding Procession of the Hutsul people of Ukraine making its way towards the church accompanied by singing and music. The procession is headed by a young lad playing a bandura, a 13-stringed instrument. He is followed by a group of young men playing long horns.

VI – Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
VI – Moresca Dance of Korčula; Wedding Procession

Wedding Dance from the Balkans, probably from Macedonia. The young man leading the dance whirls a flag high above his head. The others dance a kolo (circle dance) while the young women sing. The leader of the kolo holds a sabre. The Slava is one of the most important Serbian traditions – a ritual celebration reflecting peace, dignity and piety that takes place on the feast day of the family’s patron saint, when all the members of the family gather, including those who live far away.

VII – Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
VII – Wedding Dance from the Balkans; The Serbian ‘Slava’, the Feast of the Family’s Patron Saint

Sprinkling with Water – ritual sprinkling with water is a tradition in all European nations. The card shows a scene from Poland in which young men sprinkle water on each other on Easter Monday. The scene is taken from an illustration with the same title by the Polish painter Wojciech (Adalbert von) Kossak (1856‒1942) in the Galicia volume.

Easter Whipping is a traditional ritual in the Czech lands. Young men make a whip or switch from willow rods or twigs. They then chase the young women and whip them on their arms and legs until they ransom themselves by giving them a beautifully painted Easter egg. The design on this card is based on an illustration with the same title by the Czech painter Luděk Marold (1865‒1898) in the first of the two volumes dedicated to Bohemia.

VIII – Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
VIII – Sprinkling with Water; Easter Whipping

One half of this card shows Russian Haymakers marching home at the end of the hay harvest. The lead haymaker, who may also be the master, is carried in a wicker basket on the shoulders of the other men. The Brigands’ Dance originates in the Tatras and is the only dance that is danced exclusively by men. As it progresses, the dance intensifies into a wild, frenzied movement – “the dance of the possessed” – accompanied by piercing screams. The drawing is based on the illustration Robbers’ Dance in the Tatras by Wojciech Kossak in the Galicia volume.

IX – Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
IX – Russian Haymakers; Brigands’ Dance

Display of Horsemanship by Cossacks, who were famous for their equestrian skills; the Sinjska Alka is a form of knights’ tournament held on the Feast of the Assumption in commemoration of the successful defence of the town of Sinj against the Ottoman army of Mehmed Pasha Ćelić by a small number of defenders – with the help of the Virgin Mary. The competitors are dressed in the traditional costume of Dalmatia. A metal ring or alka is suspended from a rope stretched above the road and the riders must gallop at it in turn and attempt to unhook it with their lances. The drawing is based on an illustration by the Serbian painter Paja Jovanović (1859–1957) in the volume dedicated to Dalmatia.

X – Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
X – Display of Horsemanship by Cossacks; The ‘Sinjska Alka’ Equestrian Competition

Sobótka is a name for the Christian holiday of Pentecost in Poland, which is celebrated in a special way in the Kraków region. People sing, dance and feast on the nearby hills until the bonfires are lit. Then they set fire to brooms or bundles of straw, run around the fire, and throw them into the air. A similar custom is observed in Slovakia, where the young people jump over the fire while singing and shouting, to drive away witches. Customs involving bonfires in Slovenia include releasing burning wheels and jumping over a fire. The design on this card is based on the illustration Sobótka by Zygmunt Ajdukiewicz in the Galicia volume. The other half of the card shows the scene Village Feast with the ‘Kolo’ Circle Dance from the Zagreb area.

XI – Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
XI – The ‘Sobotka’ Pentecost Holiday in Poland; Village Feast with the ‘Kolo’ Circle Dance

The ‘Štehvanje’ Equestrian Competition in the Gail Valley a traditional event among the Slovene population of the Gail Valley in Austrian Carinthia, is an equestrian game in which riders use an iron pole to attempt to shatter a wooden barrel mounted on a post. One after the other, the riders strike the barrel until it shatters. The winner receives a wreath from the young women of the village. The drawing is based on an illustration with the same title by the Austrian painter Felician Myrbach (1853–1940) from the volume dedicated to Carinthia and Carniola. Entertainers with Bear shows a group of musicians from Bulgaria who have come to a village festival, or possibly a carnival event.

XII –Tarock

Slavic Tarock

Slavic Playing Cards — Tarock, (1910–1912) I – Goose Herder; Shepherd-Boy with a Fur Cap

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912) II – Driving Out Winter; Summer in Its Prime

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912) III – ‘Kurent’ the Plougman; The Polish Traditional Mask ‘Turonj’

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912) IV — Odd jobs by the Farm Stove; The Russian Troika

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912) V – The ‘Lajkonik’ Traditional Carnival Mask from Kraków; Killing the Cock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912) VI – Moresca Dance of Korčula; Wedding Procession

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912) VII – Wedding Dance from the Balkans; The Serbian ‘Slava’, the Feast of the Family’s Patron Saint

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912) VIII – Sprinkling with Water; Easter Whipping

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912) IX – Russian Haymakers; Brigands’ Dance

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912) X – Display of Horsemanship by Cossacks; The ‘Sinjska Alka’ Equestrian Competition

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912) XI – The ‘Sobotka’ Pentecost Holiday in Poland; Village Feast with the ‘Kolo’ Circle Dance

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912) XII – The ‘Štehvanje’ Equestrian Competition in the Gail Valley; Entertainers with a Bear

Slavic Playing Cards — Tarock, (1910–1912)
I – Goose Herder; Shepherd-Boy with a Fur Cap

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912)
II – Driving Out Winter; Summer in Its Prime

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912)
III – ‘Kurent’ the Plougman; The Polish Traditional Mask ‘Turonj’

Slavic Playing Cards Tarock, (1910–1912)
IV — Odd jobs by the Farm Stove; The Russian Troika

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
V – The ‘Lajkonik’ Traditional Carnival Mask from Kraków; Killing the Cock

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
VI – Moresca Dance of Korčula; Wedding Procession

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
VII – Wedding Dance from the Balkans; The Serbian ‘Slava’, the Feast of the Family’s Patron Saint

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
VIII – Sprinkling with Water; Easter Whipping

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
IX – Russian Haymakers; Brigands’ Dance

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
X – Display of Horsemanship by Cossacks; The ‘Sinjska Alka’ Equestrian Competition

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
XI – The ‘Sobotka’ Pentecost Holiday in Poland; Village Feast with the ‘Kolo’ Circle Dance

Slavic Playing Cards – Tarock, (1910–1912)
XII – The ‘Štehvanje’ Equestrian Competition in the Gail Valley; Entertainers with a Bear