Posts tagged with 'Art Nouveau Tarot'

Art Nouveau King of Chalices

  • Posted on April 3, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Twitt

Art Nouveau King of Chalices

King of Chalices (Cups)

I looked at the posts I’ve done so far and realized I’ve neglected the Suit of Cups, here called Chalices. In this depiction, the King is a white-haired, bearded man holding a large chalice. A young woman I can only assume is his daughter leans on his knee. ;)

The LWB says that Chalices represent “the emotional and sentimental sphere”. The King indicates “generosity, helpfulness, a favorably disposed important man”.

In Tarot For Writers, Kenner says that Kings in all suits stand for the element of Air and Cups for Water, so the King of Cups combines both elements. Astrologically, the Kings are related to the fixed signs, so King of Cups would be Scorpio.

Historically, Kenner says this was “a cautionary card, warning of ill-will on the part of a man of position; he could be a hypocrite, only pretending to help”. The association with Scorpio perhaps explains this as many astrologers used to take a negative view of that sign. Scorpio can be spiritual or vindictive, the Eagle or the Scorpion.

Modern tarot readers view the card more kindly as representing a gentle, sensitive, family man.

Lyndi

Art Nouveau Knight of Swords

  • Posted on February 16, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Twitt
Art Nouveau Knight of Swords

Knight of Swords, Art Nouveau deck

This knight appears to be a dashing fellow, riding courageously to the rescue or impetuously into danger.

The LWB says that Swords represent “fight and both physical and spiritual sufferance”. If you’re using this card as a significator*, it embodies “an able and courageous man, with a passionate, irascible and insolent nature”. (Typically, a Knight is used to represent a young man and a King for an older man.)

This is all well and good, but what if the card turns up in a spot where a type of person isn’t the answer?

I turned to The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tarot Spreads to see what it says.

Swords “represent thoughts and ideas” and the element of air. They indicate “how we face obstacles and make decisions”.

The Knight of Swords in a reading “indicates the need to act quickly” or to make a quick decision. It makes sense; knights represent action and swords air, i.e. thoughts, so the two combined means quick thinking.

Lyndi

* A significator is a card chosen to represent either the subject of a reading, or if you’re a writer, could represent one of the characters in your book. I like this article on Significators at The Lotus Pond.

L.

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