Various manufacturers or Grimaud versions of the deck use the same, fundamental 4-color scheme, but perhaps offer a somewhat different color tone,—for example, the yellow color may be more golden with one publisher and more lemony with another; or, the blue may be lighter with one version and darker with another.

The main point is what we term the Grimaud coloring scheme has been treated in many European tarot books as the seminal color scheme and therefore analyzed at length by popular European tarot authors. Marteau produced the best-selling Tarot de Marseille of its time, which was then adopted by other publishers, like the Fournier Company, with its subtler color-shadings and background coloring.

A point of contention for some reconstructionists is the allegation that this classical color scheme is actually in error, according to the “true” TdM esoteric tradition. Particular critics have condemned Marteau’s over-simplification of color that lost important nuances, such as the color sky blue to signify spiritual perception, as opposed to emotional perception of dark blue.

These nuances are reportedly reinstated in the reconstruction decks. As purported by some reconstructionists (see section), this errant color scheme was spawned in the year 1880 by the Conver House card manufacturers and then duplicated by Marteau of the Grimaud company. Perhaps, it was an attempt to mask precious traditional knowledge. Or, a less intriguing theory is that this error was more the function of printing convenience. Whatever the reason, say the reconstructionists, the color-analyses of popular European TdM books are analyzing false colors, essentially making much ado about nothing!