Charitable Six

I apologise if this has been covered already, although my search didn't help.

I thought you may be interested in this image and it's description for the 6 Coins.
Click on the picture to enlarge.

http://www.bnf.fr/enlum-bin/afiche.exe?a7_0012.htm&/enluminures/themes/t_5/ast_5_01.htm&Allegories


Allison

Allibee,

I just noticed this picture you posted. Very interesting when compared to the 6 of pentacles. I would think that the stairs represent that there are different levels of giving. Each step brings us closer to the heavens. I wish I knew what was written on those banners.

On the first step there is the Monarch. This one holds out a cup? I think it is a cup. Also how his/her foot is pointed out. Could this be the Monarch that realized that their Kingdom truely belongs to God? Or is the Monarch saying, "here if I give you this, will you leave me alone?" Is this the Monarch that believes they can buy their way to heaven?

Then we get to the next step. The Merchant. The sword he carries represents to me that he is very protective of his belongings. Kind of like the man in the 4 of Pents. He holds out his scales as if to say I will offer this much and no more. Only my weekly tithe to the church. Afterall this is business.
The merchant and the Monarch are both facing outward thinking that giving money to God is truely giving.

The next step baffles me. I don't see how this woman is giving. She looks surprised, like someone has just offered her a gift.. She is looking down to the bottom of the steps towards the Merchant. I really don't get how she ties in.

The forth step is where we see true giving. This woman realizes that to truely give to God we must give to others. It is obviouus in her position of bending down towards the children that she cares for them and is giving from her heart. She is not like the man in the 6 of Pent that gives, but only so much and he drops the coins to people on their knees as if the money were chicken feed. This woman actually touches the children. It is hard to tell in the picture what she is actually giving them.

The last two steps the people are facing outward again, towards God. The difference is that they are not offering things of monetary value. They are offering themselves. The woman on the 5th step is standing. She is deciding what she will do with herself in order to give her life to God. The man however is on his knees. He not only offers his life, but he will let God choose how best he can serve Him.

Allison,

Thanks for sharing this picture. I hope others will comment. Especially on the woman standing on the third step.

Mimers

Echo.

Echo.

Echo.

There is a thunderous silence in this thread. Is it that I have inadvertantly stated the far too obvious, or is it that I've stumped you all? (not including Mimers, LOL)


Allison

I must admit that I had not responded due to both the lack of clarity of the image (I have a low resolution screen) and the comment in allibee's first post which mentions the six of Coins - which had me stumped for a while, until I recalled the RWCS rendition.

The words I cannot make out - except maybe for the second step, which looks 'clearly', especially given the image, like 'Justitia'.

The whole is of the levels of Caritas, ie, Charity or Love.

The first step, and presumably thus also the first step for all to take (following the example of the Crowned royalty), is to become a Christian and partake in the Eucharistic Service of the Mass.

The second step is to act with Justice - the just act, then, is deemed already more important than partaking of the Mass, though one can infer that the first leads to the other, and that without first taking the initial step, true Justice, or true just acts, may not be taken.

The third step is difficult, and the words would undoubtedly assist. It looks to me like a person lost in the being of Love itself, overwhelmed by its ecstatic expression.

The fourth, and central (possibly in more than one way) step is to truly be charitable to others, especially the indigent.

The fifth step seems the love of devotion towards the Divine, as exemplified in ermitages... and the final, seventh step, and the highest of them all, is the Divine Grace which seems to flow from the overfilled and flowing cup...

I would certainly like to see what others are able to make of, especially, the words.