Depictions of Strength, Justice and Temperance in history

[Pio2001]

I open this discussion to share some paintings and depictions of Strength, Justice and Temperance across history, that I found on the web. It is interesting to compare them with the pictures that we can see in tarot. 

These three arcana are part of the seven christian virtues, that include four cardinal vitues: Fortitude (Strength), Justice, Temperance and Patience, and three theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity. But only three of them made their way into the tarot. 

The topic will be divided into several posts, as only three pictures are allowed by post. All pictures are from free sources, and all links to the originals are included.

Let's first have a look at the tarot traditional depictions. Here they are in the Waite-Smith tarot, as they appeared in 1909, drawn by Pamela Colman Smith.

 

 

And here is how they are in the Tarot de Marseille. This is the Grimaud version of 1930, but it follows exactly the Pierre Madenié tarot of 1709 (except for the colors).
 

 

 

Sources: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rider–Waite_Tarot
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10539685w.r=jeuCart tarot?rk=171674;4

 

Edited February 4, 2024 by Pio2001
Pictures too large

[Pio2001]

Let's explore history, starting with the oldest pictures.
This little selection is by no means exhaustive. Many more pictures exist. But here are a few.

 

In 1275 BC, the idea of justice was already associated with scales.

Here is a scene from the Papyrus of Hunefer, from the egyptian Book of the Dead.

 

 

It shows Anubis weighting the heart of the deceased against the feather of Maat.

If the heart is lighter than the feather, the deceased is allowed to pass into the afterlife. If not, he is eaten by Ammit, the god with a head of crocodile, a body of lion and legs of hippopotamus.

 

Later, in Greek mythology, Themis, goddess of justice, holds the Scales of justice upon which she balances the act and consequences of the act, in order to achieve justice.

This Greek statue of Themis is dated from around 300 BC, and attributed to the sculptor Chairestratos. The left hand would have originally held a set of scales.

 

 

Sources: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_the_Dead
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Themis_of_Rhamnous

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Themis

Edited February 4, 2024 by Pio2001
Pictures too large

[Pio2001]

In years 1304 to 1306, more than one century before the creation of tarot, Italian painter Giotto represented the seven virtues and the seven sins on the walls of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.

Here are Strength, Justice and Temperance.

 

  

 

These pictures are quite different from the tarot, but we can already see a lion of Fortitude's shield, and justice still has a set of scales in her hands.

 

Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giotto_di_Bondone_-_No._41_The_Seven_Virtues_-_Fortitude_-_WGA09268.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giotto_di_Bondone_003.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giotto_di_Bondone_-_No._42_The_Seven_Virtues_-_Temperance_-_WGA09269.jpg

 

You can see all 14 drawings here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrovegni_Chapel#Vices_and_Virtues

 

Edited February 5, 2024 by Pio2001

[Pio2001]

In 1365-1367, Andrea di Bonaiuto included the seven virtues in the decoration of the cappellone degli Spagnoli, in Florence. 
We are now close to the apparition of tarot, maybe in the same town. Florence, Milan and Ferrare being considered as possible places where the tarot may have been invented.

 

Here is Strength

 

 

Justice

 

 

And Temperance

 

 

They are yet different. Justice has no scales or sword, and temperance is holding an olive branch, symbol of peace, instead of amphorae.
I like this version of Strength a lot. 

They are only a small part of the paintings of the chapel. You can see them on the wall that represents the Trionfo di San Tommaso d'Aquino: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappellone_degli_Spagnoli

 

Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andrea_di_bonaiuto,_apotesosi_di_san_tommaso_d'aquino,_07_giustizia.JPG
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andrea_di_bonaiuto,_apotesosi_di_san_tommaso_d'aquino,_08_fortezza.JPG
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andrea_di_bonaiuto,_apotesosi_di_san_tommaso_d'aquino,_02_temperanza.JPG
 

Edited February 5, 2024 by Pio2001

[Pio2001]

Now we are going into the 15th century, and we have actual tarot cards from this time. 

This is Strength, from the Visconti di Modrone tarot, probably made in 1441 by Andrea Bembo or Bonifacio Bembo. The other virtues of this tarot are lost.
 

 

And here are Stength, Justice and Temperance from the Visconti-Sforza tarot. Justice is believed to have been drawn by Bonifacio Bembo in 1456/1458. Strength and Temperance would have been drawn later, by Franco Dei Russi around 1465-1470, or by Antonio Cocognara around 1480-1490, in order to replace lost cards in the original deck.

 

 

Another tarot, made in the workshop of Apollonio di Giovanni and  Marco del Buono during the same century, is the so-called tarot de Charles VI (that has nothing to do with Charles VI).

 

 

Other cards from some of these tarots can be seen here : https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazzi_Visconti-Sforza

 

Sources:
Visconti di Modrone, Visconti-Sforza fr.wikipedia.org
Charles VI
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10520244v/f1.item.r=tarot de charles VI
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105202565/f1.item.r=tarot de charles VI
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10520278w/f1.item.r=tarot de charles VI

 

 

 

[Pio2001]

1465-1470 Francesco dello Scheggia, the seven virtues.

 

 

Details of Strength and Justice and Temperance.

 

 

 

 

We can read, next to Strength : ORTE?A / ERCOLE. I guess that it means Forteza, and that the character at her feet is Heracles, wearing the skin of the Nemean Lion.
Next to Justice: GUSTTIA / TRAIANO SINPER ADORE DIROMA
Next to Temperance: TE?P?RAN?A / ISCIPIONE AFRICHANO

 

Source:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anton_Francesco_dello_Scheggia_-_The_Seven_Virtues_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

 

 

[Pio2001]

Strength, by Botticelli, 1470

 

 

Justice, by Piero del Pollaiolo, 1470

 

 

Temperance, by Piero del Pollaiolo, 1470

 

 

These paintings can be seen in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, together with the 4 other virtues, painted by Piero del Pollaiolo. Only Strength is by Botticelli.

All 7 virtues: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Botticelli%2BP.Pollaiolo_-_theological_and_cardinal_virtues_-_Uffizi.jpg

 

Source:
https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/fortitude
https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/justice-pollaiolo
https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/temperance-piero-pollaiolo

 

[Pio2001]

Here are close-up of the above paintings:

 

 

 

 

They are very impressive. I don't know if I would dare drawing the cards of a tarot with such pictures.

One thing is sure, if I go to Florence, I want to see this gallery!

 

Source: same as above.

[Pio2001]

Let's finish this journey with some statues. These can be seen in La Rochelle town hall, in France. They were made by an unknown sculptor in 1605-1606.

 

  

 

Here, Strength has both a column on her shoulder, and a lion under her foot.

The statues in their context: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Rochelle,_Hôtel_de_Ville_04_(4150826356).jpg

 

Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Rochelle_-_HdV_statue_1.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Rochelle_-_HdV_statue_3.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Rochelle_-_HdV_statue_4.jpg
 

[gregory]

Thanks for this one - La Rochelle is somewhere I go occasionally - I never really looked at the city hall - I am usually passing through on the way to visit relatives or visiting the covered market - but next time I am there....

[Pio2001]

Here is another one.

Greek goddess Themis, and her daughter Dike, also goddess of justice, became Iustitia in the roman world. 

 

Here is a roman coin from year 193 - 194, showing (IV) STI TIA, holding scales and cornucopiae 

 

 

According to Wikipedia, Iustitia was rather seen as an allegory by the romans, than as a goddess.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Justice

 

Source: https://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.4.pn.45

[Pio2001]

Looking for old pictures, I came across the seven vices, painted by Giotto around 1305 in the Scrovegni Chapel of Padua, in Italy.

 

Don't you find that these two look similar ?

 

 

 

On the left: Stultitia (Foolishness), by Giotto, between 1304 and 1306.

On the right, il Matto (the Fool), by Bonifacio Bembo, from the Visconti-Sforza tarot. Between 1456 and 1458.

 

Same cudgel. Same feathers on the head.

In the Scrovegni Chapel, Giotto painted Foolishness in opposition to Prudence. 

 

Sources : Wikimedia

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazzi_Visconti-Sforza

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foolishness

 

 

Edited February 13, 2024 by Pio2001

[Misterei]

Love all the research that went into the illustrations of the Virtues. Thanks for posting those! Really helps to see how early Tarocchi relates to the art of the time. The common motifs that informed the imagery of the Triunfi.

Edited February 15, 2024 by Misterei