Unbeknownst to her, Smith created the sort of legacy that artists dream about. That she was paid so little for her work and received no royalties to speak of is a tragedy. Though she kept illustrating and exhibiting her art after the deck’s release, she continued to struggle financially and never achieved the sort of recognition she hoped for in her lifetime. It’s hard to say which is more galling: the paltry sum she received, or the repeated lack of credit for her tarot designs. To this day, the Rider-Waite deck is a household name. Pamela Colman Smith is not.
