Lovers - Tyldwick

[Bodhiseed]

Lovers

What I notice in the Lovers card:

a painting of the Fountain of Diana

a bust of Venus/Aphrodite

two small frames of two different women

table with drawers

 

The painting in the background comes from a sculpture that originally topped a fountain that shows Diana reclining with a stag (that now is in the Louvre). What an interesting piece to use in the Lovers! Diana was a virgin goddess, and she required the same commitment from those who served her. Once a man stumbled upon her bathing, and Diana turned him into a stag; his own hunting dogs killed him. She is the force that persuades a person to make a choice to stay "pure" and focused on one's calling rather than entangle oneself in the web of love.

Below the painting is a bust of Venus, the goddess of love - definitely the opposite of Diana! She would encourage one to dive wholeheartedly into a relationship, and enjoy the perks of having a lover or spouse.

On either side of the bust is a framed portrait, each with a different woman. If you choose the way of Venus, then you also have to make the choice of which person to whom you will commit yourself.

The table on which the pictures and bust rest has two drawers. Like Monty Hall's "Let's Make a Deal," you never know exactly what you're going to get when you make a decision (drawer number one or drawer number two). The commitment you make could bring a lot of joy or much grief.

ETA: Thanks to Neema (ATF), I discovered the bust is in fact Hermes. This makes things even more interesting. Diana/Artemis remained a virgin goddess, though she did have platonic companions like Orion. Hermes, however, had many lovers - both male and female, mortal and divine. This Lovers card emphasizes just how different love can be in all its guises. 

 

Edited September 27, 2022 by Bodhiseed