Rose Lalonde Posted April 16 Posted April 16 (edited) This is a thread for any thoughts, pics etc you want to share about Aries in general before we head into Taurus. And/or your decan walk so far. How’s it going? Aries 1 -- 2 of Wands Aries 2 -- 3 of Wands Aries 3 -- 4 of Wands (Also the Aries 3 Part 2 post at tabulamundi.com is up here, and I added that link to Aries 3.) Edited April 16 by Rose Lalonde
Nemia Posted April 16 Posted April 16 I started my tarot calendar in Taurus 2017, eight years ago!. I didn't only take pictures but also started a Powerpoint presentation, just for myself, to have a good overview. It's just for myself, and I enjoy walking back in time. It also helps me see which deck groups have appeared in which zodiac signs already, so it's useful. I also make comparisons of all kinds - it's a real study tool. So here are some of my Imperial musings. I went back in time to look at the Emperors. (Yes, I could have gone back to the individual pictures, but using the PowerPoint is easier...it's all in one place there). So in 2017, there was no Aries board; I started in my birth decan, the 1st decan of Taurus. But for all the years after that, I have looked at different Emperors. always remembering that this is a difficult card for many tarot creators. Of course, it's always possible to use the RWS formula: a formidable older man, sitting rigidly on a throne, surrounded by the insignia of worldly power. Another possibility is a historical depiction - like Lösche did in the Cosmic Tarot. He chose to use Charlemagne's golden portrait, and knowing that the artist grew up in Aachen, the place where Charlemagne ruled (and where I grew up, too), gives even more significance to this choice. In Aachen, Charlemagne is absolutely everywhere. Sitting in one of Aachen's ancient pubs, the Golden Swan, you see Charlemagne's statue from the window. It's the closest you can get to medieval Imperial glory, I guess. It's part of my childhood, and I get nostalgic when I look at the pictures... The Tyldwick Tarot used a famous bust of the wise Emperor Marcus Aurelius to show another side of the Emperor - he is a philosopher and tries to do good in this world. Medieval emperors like Charlemagne saw themselves as following in the footsteps of Rome, so we're going back in time. There is of course, going back further, the ideal that Roman Emperors tried to emulate is Zeus/Iupiter, the benevolent but unpredictable source of power in the heavens. This is where the Tarot of the Holy Light is going. Or you can look for alternative ways of presenting male power. The Ostara Tarot and the Children of Litha Tarot show the physical power that lies at the root of male supremacy. You can take the Emperor to task for patriarchy. There is something frightening about male dominance based on physical power and the will to use it. The ambivalence of the Emperor stems probably not only from the fact that he is One who has Power, and we are Many who don't have Power, but whoever grew up with an authoritarian father knows how that feels. I see the pairing of Aries/Emperor as an expression of this ambivalence. It's not fixed Leo, the king of animals, who is associated with the Emperor (although in the Cosmic Tarot, this is the constellation chosen for the Emperor). it's the ram, Aries, powerful enough but not as awe-inspiring as the mighty lion. Here is my own Emperor. There are three versions of medieval Emperors - a stained-glass window, the top of Charlemagne's head, and the imho gorgeous equestrian statue from Bamberg, torn from a very old book about German art. There's also Jupiter and three old playing cards for the decans. But actually, for me the most important image is the penguin, because he's a good and caring father. I don't want to live in a world where the Emperor protects the Empire against us, the people, especially those of us who need protection. My vote goes to the Emperor who protects the people in his Empire. Well, there haven't been too many historical examples of that kind of Emperor. So all power to the penguin.
FindYourSovereignty Posted April 16 Posted April 16 2 hours ago, Nemia said: Here is my own Emperor. There are three versions of medieval Emperors - a stained-glass window, the top of Charlemagne's head, and the imho gorgeous equestrian statue from Bamberg, torn from a very old book about German art. There's also Jupiter and three old playing cards for the decans. But actually, for me the most important image is the penguin, because he's a good and caring father. I don't want to live in a world where the Emperor protects the Empire against us, the people, especially those of us who need protection. My vote goes to the Emperor who protects the people in his Empire. Well, there haven't been too many historical examples of that kind of Emperor. So all power to the penguin. Thank you for sharing.
Rose Lalonde Posted April 19 Author Posted April 19 On 4/16/2025 at 11:11 PM, FindYourSovereignty said: Thanks for posting these. It’s good to see several decks together.
Rose Lalonde Posted April 19 Author Posted April 19 On 4/17/2025 at 6:54 AM, Nemia said: Here is my own Emperor. There are three versions of medieval Emperors - a stained-glass window, the top of Charlemagne's head, and the imho gorgeous equestrian statue from Bamberg, torn from a very old book about German art. There's also Jupiter and three old playing cards for the decans. But actually, for me the most important image is the penguin, because he's a good and caring father. I don't want to live in a world where the Emperor protects the Empire against us, the people, especially those of us who need protection. My vote goes to the Emperor who protects the people in his Empire. Well, there haven't been too many historical examples of that kind of Emperor. So all power to the penguin. Beautiful card. Collage tends to be hit or miss with me, and your Emperor is definitely a hit. The content too. The meaning behind the penguin fathers makes it well rounded too. I’m not really a fan of Emperors (and Hierophants) that only show negative aspects. Anyway thanks for sharing your art!
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