Art for "Magic: The Gathering"

Secrets of Strixhaven, Mystical Archive 2026

Greetings Explorer,

I’m Lorenzo Gaggiotti, the designer of four Mystical Archive cards (SOA 2026) for Magic: The Gathering, released as part of the Secrets of Strixhaven expansion by Wizards of the Coast in April 2026.

Artist proofs, signed cards, and  playmats will be available on this website probably since May 2026. Feel free to subscribe the newsletter at the bottom of this page for updates, and take a look around, there may be something that suits your taste!

Stockholm17 is my brand, and many know me with this name. I design custom playing cards mostly poker size, and sometimes Tarot cards.

Artwork created for Magic: The Gathering

In late 2024, Wizards of the Coast contacted me with an initial assignment, Smallpox, requesting a specific style suited to the Mystical Archive subset.

As an MTG player in the 1990s, this was a real honour. I didn’t expect to come onto WOTC’s radar, let alone become a contributing artist to a game I used to play with friends.

Following Smallpox, I was assigned three additional cards: Shamanic Revelation, Sheoldred’s Edict, and Monstrous Rage. Each came with detailed briefs and visual guidelines.

The most challenging was Sheoldred’s Edict, which required depicting the character in an arena, judging the defeat of one of two warriors, all within a very limited space. I was also less familiar with the character, whose design blends organic and humanoid elements, which added another layer of complexity. 

Monstrous Rage wasn’t particularly difficult, but finding an interesting way to depict the transformation took some time. The three skulls represent the stages - human, semi-wolf, and werewolf - forming the vertices of a triangle, like a magical sigil casting the spell. A split moon symbolizes the before and after.

The style of Smallpox and Shamanic Revelation is reminiscent of my 2018 deck The House of the Rising Spade, one of my best-selling projects and a multiple award winner within the playing card community.

The Cards

[Courtesy Wizards of The Coast]

Smallpox

Monstrous Rage