jmd
Of the four cardinal virtues which descend to us from ancient times, three are clearly within the deck, not only in image, but in name:
A number of cards have at different times, and by different people, been suggested.
Of especial interest is one presented by Gareth Knight in his The Magical World of the Tarot: fourfold mirror of the universe, in which, using the 'Gringonneur' deck, suggests XXI the World card as connoting Wisdom. He does this based on a clear iconographic representation of the figures within that deck, in that only four from the major Arcana have a stellated aureole: Justice, Strength, Temperance... and the World!
Another candidate has been recently presented here is II the Papesse. In a post by smleite, mention is made that 'in fifteenth-century imagery, the virtue of Prudentia (Prudence) was some times depicted as a woman sitting in a chair, holding a book in her hand, and showing it to disciples at her feet'.
Of more 'common' - but not necessarily any the more accurate - is the persistent comments that the 'missing' virtue is represented by VIIII the Hermit. Here, amongst other places, I will but point to some of the numerous 'reasons' for this card possibly being representative of Wisdom: apart from his age and very name (which may indeed connote wisdom), his staff and lantern may likewise indicate that with which one may indicate the virtue.
Also, there are some aspects which make the sequence of human Wisdom -> Wheel of Fortune all the more natural. I need only refer to, for example, part of the concluding paragraph of Montaigne's XXXIII's essay in his first Book (titled 'That Fortune is oftentimes observed to act by the rules of reason'), in which he gives as an(other) example an act which human wisdom would have prevented, but that, with the higher insight which no human previously had, was able to both seek the revenge of a death, the killing of a murderer, and the safeguarding of an important figure... 'Thus Fortune in her directions exceedeth all the rules of human wisdome'.
- Justice;
- Strength; and
- Temperance.
A number of cards have at different times, and by different people, been suggested.
Of especial interest is one presented by Gareth Knight in his The Magical World of the Tarot: fourfold mirror of the universe, in which, using the 'Gringonneur' deck, suggests XXI the World card as connoting Wisdom. He does this based on a clear iconographic representation of the figures within that deck, in that only four from the major Arcana have a stellated aureole: Justice, Strength, Temperance... and the World!
Another candidate has been recently presented here is II the Papesse. In a post by smleite, mention is made that 'in fifteenth-century imagery, the virtue of Prudentia (Prudence) was some times depicted as a woman sitting in a chair, holding a book in her hand, and showing it to disciples at her feet'.
Of more 'common' - but not necessarily any the more accurate - is the persistent comments that the 'missing' virtue is represented by VIIII the Hermit. Here, amongst other places, I will but point to some of the numerous 'reasons' for this card possibly being representative of Wisdom: apart from his age and very name (which may indeed connote wisdom), his staff and lantern may likewise indicate that with which one may indicate the virtue.
Also, there are some aspects which make the sequence of human Wisdom -> Wheel of Fortune all the more natural. I need only refer to, for example, part of the concluding paragraph of Montaigne's XXXIII's essay in his first Book (titled 'That Fortune is oftentimes observed to act by the rules of reason'), in which he gives as an(other) example an act which human wisdom would have prevented, but that, with the higher insight which no human previously had, was able to both seek the revenge of a death, the killing of a murderer, and the safeguarding of an important figure... 'Thus Fortune in her directions exceedeth all the rules of human wisdome'.
