The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg is the work of Yury Shakov, a Russian artist known for his lacquer miniatures. Shakov was born on July 15, 1937 in Baku, Azerbaijan and died March 10, 1989. This deck was his last commissioned work. The paintings in the Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg were done to exact size in tempera. At times, Shakov had to use a magnifying glass and arm brace to steady his hand. Some fine details required a paintbrush of a single hair. The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg combines traditional tarot themes with images from Russian history and culture.