Description
Three women stride out, each holding a wand wrapped lavishly in rich green leaves. By their sides walk two lions. The picture is one of calm and confidence - these women know where they are going.
Above this scene is a decorated panel with many elements including baskets filled with the fruits of harvest. In the centre is a picture of three tree trunks intertwining, while in their leaves there are two doves.
Symbolism
Confidence and the ability to be visionary about what you want to achieve sometimes requires strength - the strength that the juxtaposition of woman and lion immediately reminds us of. But it can also take a gentle determination as well. The ability to see opportunities in a broad context and to make things happen does not mean that you should be aggressive. The more peaceful approach that the doves symbolise may actually take you much further.
The fact that we used an Egyptian theme in this card is in some ways simple serendipity - we love these ceramic panels, which catch a style that is somewhere between Art Nouveau and Art Deco - a time when Egyptian themes were particularly loved. However, the Egyptian reference is also one that immediately reverberates with many images that most of us now associate with tarot. So somewhere in this card, Thoth may perhaps be present as a benign influence?
Card Meaning
Looking to the next stage with self-assurance, good planning and a sense that anything is possible. Walk forward with calm confidence - you'll succeed.
Artistic Media
Adapted from a set of tiles photographed (actually for Tarot of Prague orginally) at the Cafe Imperial (which may have a certain ironic aptness to this card?) in Prague''s "New Town" district. We had to do very considerable redrawing of women and lions in order to show three women - without distorting or changing the two lions - this was by far the hardest part of the card technically. The panel above is less changed but did need to be redrawn to show three tree trunks. We also changed colours both for stylistic consistency and also to make it more obvious that these are white doves - symbols of peace.
All photographs are ours - in this case they were great fun to do as we had a steady stream of people going in and out of the cafe curiously watching proceedings!
Artist's Bio
Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov run baba studio in Prague. So far we have produced and published two tarot decks, the Tarot of Prague and the Baroque Bohemian Cats' Tarot. Currently we are working on "The see of Logos" a deck being done in collaboration with Rachel Pollack.
Go back to the project index, read the traditional card meaning, or get a free automated reading.
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