Gilded Tarot - What is your favorite card and why???

lunakasha

For the first thread of the Gilded Tarot study group, I thought it would be fun for everyone to talk about their favorite Gilded card (or cards) and tell us why this card is meaningful to you.

:) Luna

PS: I will be posting my favorites a little later.....:p
 

tmgrl2

I'll start by adding the link to the deck again:

http://ciromarchetti.com/

OK...I do have several favorites so far, but I will stick with one for now... I posted in the GT thread how cool it is that Ciro has The Hanging Man for Trump XII.

Hanging implies ongoing present tense...AND, there is a chain that looks somewhat like a Rube Goldberg rig-up. The chain is just out of reach of the man's hand, as if to indicate, he can reach up at any time, pull the chain and upright himself.


For me, this changes the images of some of the older implications of a person being hanged for bad deeds...In one old deck, it even has a mandrake growing up from beneath his head, which was thought to have happened when a man was hanged until death from the gallows.

Here we have voluntary sacrifice, suspension from earthly plights, arms in motion though as if he won't be there long, connected to a wheel that turns (implicating I wonder, the Wheel of Fortune?)
I like to think that this implies we can't voluntarily suspend ourselves from involvement in our situations in life for too long, that life itself moves on, the Wheel turns. In other XII cards, the Hanged Man is quite vertical, motionless, and, e.g., in the Tarot de Marseille, with his hands folded behind his back, inaction, renunciation..

Somehow, the Hanging Man is like a modern day person, who can't usually afford the time to go into a suspended state of inaction for too long. Yet, it implies that at times we must slow down, and turn ourselves upside down that we may receive direction from a different perspective? from a divine source?

That's a start ....I do have other favorites, but am anxious to hear from others as to theirs.

Thanks, Luna...

tmgrl

Ciro, hop in here...we don't have your book yet! So we're "hanging" by the seat of our Tarot pants here....LOL
 

dolphinprincess

I'll start with the Majors... I adore the Lovers card. This card screams passion to me... and fantasy. Its about the "knight in shining armor"... I like this direction more than the "choice" meaning that can be associated with this card. There is just something so amazingly emotional in this image.. its raw and spiritual all at the same time. And.. there are two dolphins to top it off...It is one of the first cards I noticed. Beyond that, I really love the High Priestess and the Star. I think is the overwhelming blue colors. I love that color and it just draws me in.

I don't have a specific minor card that is my favorite.. but the one thing that I love about this deck that initially drew me to it... I ADORE all the "critters" in the cards. There is a mouse, or a rabbit, or a squirrel.. etc.. .there are furry friends everywhere and I love that so much. I honestly think that is one of the main selling points of this deck for me. The artwork is amazing regardless... but the inclusion of animals makes the deck personal to me.
 

Black*Cat

My favourite card (for the moment) is Strength. In general, when considering this card I like to think of the old names for this particular virtue (In Italian: La Fortezza, & in French: La Force) because I prefer the alternative English translation of Fortitude. Fortitude can be described as courage, but also: bearing up against adversity, holding true to what you believe & doing what needs to be done.

I think Ciro’s card beautifully depicts the ‘active’ nature of this virtue. We see the young woman & the lion stepping out to meet whatever situation in life needs courage & fortitude. They face the situation together, neither is forcing the other & they are moving in consort. A wonderful image of how the lion’s strength can support us all in our search for the courage that we need to face difficult circumstances or decisions in our lives.

Black*Cat

(hey terri, do you think this might be the hanging man’s chain that she is holding around the lion’s neck?? I must have a look at the cards together & see if the chains are similar.)
 

tmgrl2

Black*Cat said:
My favourite card (for the moment) is Strength. In general, when considering this card I like to think of the old names for this particular virtue (In Italian: La Fortezza, & in French: La Force) because I prefer the alternative English translation of Fortitude. Fortitude can be described as courage, but also: bearing up against adversity, holding true to what you believe & doing what needs to be done.

I think Ciro’s card beautifully depicts the ‘active’ nature of this virtue. We see the young woman & the lion stepping out to meet whatever situation in life needs courage & fortitude. They face the situation together, neither is forcing the other & they are moving in consort. A wonderful image of how the lion’s strength can support us all in our search for the courage that we need to face difficult circumstances or decisions in our lives.

Black*Cat

(hey terri, do you think this might be the hanging man’s chain that she is holding around the lion’s neck?? I must have a look at the cards together & see if the chains are similar.)

I left in your whole comment, Black*Cat...That's why I love these study groups..I never noticed the chain, and I, too, love the Strength card...It's interesting, Ciro chose to not place humans with loose chains around their necks in The Devil card, yet here is another example where the loose chain (Strength and Hanging Man) could easily imply that one is "free" to move about. In Strength, like the lion-tamed, the chains held by the woman are loose and the lion is free to go...strength tamed and carried gently with one to use when needed.

Also, I am just beginning to look at orientation of figures and orientation of their body parts. jmd and Rusty Neon and others discuss body parts of figures and objects within the picture from the framework of being in the picture with the figure (ala Marteau). Orientation of the figure's body itself in terms of facing or looking to the left or right he discusses as being from the perspective of looking at the figure from as we face the card (the mirror view)

Traditionally, we think of Strength being depicted as a "feminine" female character latching onto her "masculine" or inner strength, courage or moral power, with the figure's hand on the mouth, either as though prying it open (physical strength and courage to go into the lion's mouth) or with the figure's hand on the mouth.

Ciro has chosen the side by side position with the loose chain. I really like this image. I do see the woman (from my perspective) as facing left which I associate with receptive, passive, past, feminine. unconscious. This is in contrast, e.g. to theTdM where Strength figure looks slightly down and to my right as I look at the card. Either way sends me a message I can live with. Ciro's woman implies she is still feminine, but that strength is there by her side when she needs it. whereas, the TdM adds the masculine element by virtues of the hands on the mouth and the right-facing figure.

That's the beauty of the various decks. The message can be sent with some variation in depiction and be equally as powerful.


teri
 

OakDragon

Wow, that's a tough question to answer! The best I can do, I think, is to say which cards are catching my eye at the moment, because I'm sure it will change.

I really like the knights in the deck, particularly the Knight of Swords and the Knight of Pentacles. The color schemes on the knight cards provide such a strong feel to the card. The Knight of Swords is in such a peaceful surreal setting and the Knight of Pentacles seems peaceful in his natural setting, too. I love green environments with lots of animals myself.
 

lunakasha

OakDragon said:
I really like the knights in the deck, particularly the Knight of Swords and the Knight of Pentacles. The color schemes on the knight cards provide such a strong feel to the card. The Knight of Swords is in such a peaceful surreal setting and the Knight of Pentacles seems peaceful in his natural setting, too. I love green environments with lots of animals myself.

WOW OakDragon.....

Funny you should mention the knights....because I am also very much drawn to them, for similar reasons!!! I love the color combinations for each of the knights....and there is definitely something about the natural setting that also captures my interest....I think my favorite is the Knight of Wands....just the brilliant colors that remind me of perfect sunset skies.....

Still trying to come up with my favorite card.....I have it narrowed down to three, hehehe!!! :p

:) Luna
 

cirom

My favourite is Temperence. Because its my wife who modelled, along with others, but I'm not allowed to say which.
Right now I'm in the dog house, but if she reads this (I'll casually leave this forum page open on the computer) I may get a coffee in bed tomorrow.
 

lunakasha

cirom said:
My favourite is Temperence. Because its my wife who modelled, along with others, but I'm not allowed to say which.
Right now I'm in the dog house, but if she reads this (I'll casually leave this forum page open on the computer) I may get a coffee in bed tomorrow.

WOW Ciro....she must be a very beautiful woman!!! :)

Good luck....hope she leaves you some kibble later.... :p

:) Luna
 

Dakota

Oooooooo, in the Majors I would have to say both "The Moon" and "The Sun", I have a special affinity for Moon cards in general and the art work in both is SOOO stupendous, wish I could have them on my wall!!

In the Minors, definitely the 9 of Cups! I have always had a problem with the way PCS depicted this card in the RWS decks but THIS 9 of Cups really brings the symbolism to life!!

Can't wait; can it really still be 3 months til September??