The Comparing Cards Thread

[Juni]

Wow, I finally have a name for what I've intuitively been doing - Comparative Tarot. I love this so much.

 

I often go through my decks and get out all of the Emperors or Page of Cups or whatever card it is I'm wanting to know more deeply. Then I line them all up and sit with them and get to know them in a whole other way by noticing the similarities, differences and just plain gorgeousness of seeing all of the cards together. Thank you for creating this space (is this what's known as a sub-forum?)

[Chariot]

Hi @Juni - This seems to be a bit of an old thread, so it might take some time for people to get back on board with it.  I think what you're doing sounds like a really interesting exercise, though.  I think I'll try it myself, to some extent.  (Not ALL my decks at once, though ...I'd need to go take a pill!)  
 

Do you have favourite cards you like to do this with?  I've noticed some decks do a wonderful job (in my opinion) of some cards, and seem quite wishy-washy with others.  Have you found this to be true?
 

I'm wondering if this might not be a great idea with court cards. Some of them are so generic, while others really get into the personalities depicted on the cards.  Also cards that might be 'difficult' cards ...such as Death, The Devil, Tower, Hanged Man, 3 of Swords, 10 of Swords ...those cards we might cringe from, when they turn up in a reading.

Here are four very different 10 of Swords/Blades cards, plus the usual Rider Waite Smith depiction of a face-down person stabbed in the back with 10 swords, and looking quite dead, as comparision:
 

 

The Everyday Enchantment depiction shows an attack underway.  The Anna K Tarot (my favourite depiction) shows the wounded person walking away.  The Spiral Tarot shows a person who seems to be in great pain, but is certainly still alive.  And The Before Tarot shows an attack just about to happen—the victim is unaware, but there are assassins hiding in the shrubbery, waiting to pounce.  

I would say if you were using any of these slightly different decks, you might care to choose a slightly different approach to interpretation.  Inform the person that an attack is underway, and probably advise them to attempt to get away, if possible.  Or tell them the worst is over, they are bloodied, but unbowed, and things will only get better from here.  Or let them know they are in great pain (physical or mental), and probably need help to remove the swords sticking in them.  Or maybe warn that an attack is in the offing—from some source they may not be aware of at the moment—and to become alert get a good defence in place, if possible.   

Edited August 17, 2023 by Chariot

[Juni]

Hi Chariot (I can't tag you as I'm new and it won't let me) - lol at having to take a pill to tackle all of your decks at once! I totally get that!

 

As a neurodivergent person who loves to catalogue and compare and put things in neat little rows, comparing all of my cards is my happy place. I've even taken photos of my favourites and put them in my digital "Little White Book" to help me when I'm interpreting readings

 

TBC in next comment because word limits...

 

 

[Juni]

Continued from previous...

 

I think you're right that there are some cards this is particularly useful for, and I love that you mentioned court cards. One of the things I love about different decks is how they rename the courts. This really helps me to get into their overall character.

 

And yes, some decks do some cards well and some wishy washy. I totally agree. Another reason that I love putting them side by side and getting an overall idea of a card's archetypal meanings, separate from the deck I'm using (if that makes sense?)

[Chariot]

11 minutes ago, Juni said:

Hi Chariot (I can't tag you as I'm new and it won't let me) - lol at having to take a pill to tackle all of your decks at once! I totally get that!

 

As a neurodivergent person who loves to catalogue and compare and put things in neat little rows, comparing all of my cards is my happy place. I've even taken photos of my favourites and put them in my digital "Little White Book" to help me when I'm interpreting readings

 

TBC in next comment because word limits...

 

 

Hi again, @Juni I just edited in some photos to my original post, which you might find interesting.  I've scanned four different 10 of Swords cards, along with the usual RWS for comparison.

[Juni]

Oh wow, I love this! I'm not allowed to share photos yet, but once I am I'll share my ten of swords comparisons too 🙂

I love that in the Anna K tarot the figure is walking away from the swords. It feels somehow more empowering. Especially in contrast to the Everyday Enchantment version right next to it. Thank you for sharing.

[Juni]

Ok, so here we have the 10 of Swords from the following decks:

 

The Slutist Tarot

The Modern Witch Tarot

Numinous Tarot

Moon Void Tarot

 

(The last two are my favourite all time decks)

 

Although I have a lot of decks, I tend to only photograph the versions of cards that make my heart sing. What do you think?

 

[DanielJUK]

We've split off some posts from another thread and created this one.

This is the place to compare cards of different decks. You are welcome to post images of the same card from multiple decks and discuss them.

This place is to discuss the art and images, not to discuss the meanings or interpretations

 

We always have our Deck Library if you want to submit or review a deck - https://www.thetarotforum.com/library/

Also the area where you can discuss your fave cards and submit images of them, ordered by thread - https://www.thetarotforum.com/forums/forum/63-card-favorites/

 

[Chariot]

8 hours ago, Juni said:

Ok, so here we have the 10 of Swords from the following decks:

 

The Slutist Tarot

The Modern Witch Tarot

Numinous Tarot

Moon Void Tarot

 

(The last two are my favourite all time decks)

 

Although I have a lot of decks, I tend to only photograph the versions of cards that make my heart sing. What do you think?

 

 

I enjoyed looking at these cards, and wow ...there are lots of different ways to depict a card, aren't there?  The Slutist Tarot version reminds me a bit of Ciro Marchetti's Grand Luxe Tarot ...like in the Grand Luxe Tarot, the swords are just hanging around the figure—although in the Slutist Tarot, the person seems to have bloody fingers?  That opens a few new doors.  I had to chuckle at The Modern Witch Tarot version ...calling it the Everything Is Fine (texting) card—when it clearly isn't fine.   Another dimension to interpreting this card to think about!  I assume that Bells equal Swords in The Numinous Tarot?  The image looks grim. And The Moon Void image is similar to the 'stabbed in the back' depictions, but it's certainly very striking, and sad, rather than scary.

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by Chariot

[Juni]

Yes! Bells are swords, which, as a self proclaimed "Sound Witch" really speaks to me. I actually pulled this card only yesterday and it was about parts of me feeling like I'm drowning. 

 

I love reading your responses to seeing these different cards. There really are so many ways to depict each one.

 

So glad to have this space to geek out about this stuff! Thanks for suggesting this new thread.

[Nemia]

On my tarot calendar, I actually compare different versions of one and the same card. Now it's Libra, so at the centre of my calendar, there are the two most important decks for me that show up all the time: the Thoth and Tabula Mundi. Up in the corner, a magnet with the mini RWS card. 

 

Sorry for the magnets, but that's how I keep the cards up on my magnetic board. In a cat household, you can't put cards on tables and expect them to stay there nicely 😉 

 

 

 

You can see how the RWS shows the typical static virtue of Justice - Iustitia, Lady Justice, with the symbols of her virtue but without blindfold. Thoth turns this into a precarious balance - Adjustment has to be on her toes constantly to keep everything in just the right balance. And Tabula Mundi really gets Adjustment moving - cutting the ice with her sword blade, an ice queen in a beautiful arabesque, dancing on the ice to flowing music. 

 

 

 

This is Cesare Ripa's allegorical figure of Justice. 

 

 

Aquarian and Nova Tarot simply use the RWS recipe: the traditional figure of Justice. Aquarian keeps the columns that frame the figure, Nova puts her on the branch of an apple tree and gives her two scales. Well, I underestimated the Aquarian - Justice holds fasci in one hand and the sword in the other, and the Roman goddess Iustitia did indeed hold fasci, and in some versions, so does the Baroque emblem of Justice. 

 

 

 

 

Pastoral finds a wonderful rural image for Justice - the open farm stand. "Take what you need - pay what you can". This only works when you know that you can rely on everybody's sense of justice and honour. 

 

 

Morgan Greer and PCS Centennial show us the RWS allegorical figure in warm, strong lours, the New Vision shows what goes on behind her throne - the conflict of Salomon's judgement where two women fight about a baby. 

 

 

The Good Karma depicts justice as a beautiful, radiant woman who offers us the sword to judge by ourselves. The flowers and pockets in her dress are perfectly balanced, and so are darkness and light behind her. HousewivesTarot takes a drastic and sarcastic angle on Justice - is it just to punish a misbehaving child with physical violence? The malicious smile of the mother tells us that Justice means the application of power and authority. 

 

Secret Tarot again repeats the strong colour scheme of contrasting red and green from RWS. The woman's skinny arms can hardly be expected to hold up that sword and scales for much longer LOL but the use of watercolours is competent. Very nice use of dark and bright here, in muted colours that let the primary contrast show. And the cleavage - what would a typical LoScarabeo deck be without lots of cleavage where you don't need it? 

 

Only Thoth and Tabula Mundi take up the Maat motif of the feather weighed against the human heart. Otherwise, Justice seems to be a card that relies on the emblem of Justice that originates in the Roman goddess Iustitia, and she in turn came down from the Greek goddess Dike. Eternal, universal, unchangeable Justice - the sword that cuts both ways - set into motion by the wonderful Tabula Mundi Tarot and applied to everyday life by the Pastoral Tarot (successfully) and the Housewives Tarot (less successfully imho). 

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by Nemia