The Four Princes

Probably a silly question, but I will shoot anyway ...

The one card in this deck that has always been a problem for me is the 'Prince of Swords'. He always looks so different to the others in the pack - almost as if he has been painted by a different artist. The art is so much more abstract and not as sharp as the other Princes, or the other cards.

Does anyone else have these thoughts. Being a Swords card, I would expect him to be sharper. Anyone have any knowledge around why he is so different???

Yaboot

I thought exactly the same thing. Something about him, the coulrs, the texture, even the materials used, everything is different. I'm curious to know what people may say about this.

Of course you made me curious and I had to have a good look!

Yes the artwork in this card does appear more distorted or fragmented in a way - like you can't see his image properly behind the mass of geometric shapes that appear clear but have shape. Could it be this in front of him that makes his image appear more abstract? Like when you look at something through cut glass or a crystal?

I had a quick look in Banzhaf's book but could not find anything specific in regards to the artwork effect. But did come across a couple of lines in the Book of Thoth that I could relate to in regards to the 'effect' in the image:

The operation of his logical mental processes have reduced the Air, which is his element, to many diverse geometrical pattersn, but in these there is no real plan; they are demonstrations of the powers of the Mind without definite purpose . . .

He reduces everything to unreality by removing its substance and transmuting it to an ideal world of ratiocination which is purely formal and out of relation to any facts, even those upon which it is based.

Would also be interested to hear what others say about this.

CreativeFire

Hail or Hailstorm

Yaboot said:

The art is so much more abstract and not as sharp
as the other Princes, or the other cards.

Click to expand...

Hi Yaboot. Here's a darker edition/version of the Prince of Swords.

In her Catalogue for the July 1, 1942 Berkeley Galleries Exhibition,
Frieda Harris wrote: The prince conveys two ideas, one simply hail,
and the other the restriction of scientific outlook, which uses but
limits the imagination which is shown in the harnessed fays. [#63]


Maybe the essence or feeling of hail is being conveyed by
the variegated and dissipated lines ~ like a slashing storm.

To View Enlarged
Prince of Swords

Save picture and view the image using increased size.
It almost looks to me like the artist clawed the canvas.
I've seen works by Picasso where he's used this effect.

Thanks for the pics and info Fulgour!

Are these cards the ones labeled as the 'icky green ones'?

If so, I actually quite like that green border.

Yaboot likes a border!!! Hehehe.

Yab

Re: Hail or Hailstorm

Fulgour said:

and the other the restriction of scientific outlook, which uses but
limits the imagination.

Click to expand...

Oh my, someone that thinks like me.

Unfortunately she's dead, but hey, one other person that lived on this planet actually thought like me and we have a record of it in a painting and a deck of cards.

Someone's gonna be PSYCHed out.

Yaboot said:

Are these cards the ones labeled as the 'icky green ones'?
If so, I actually quite like that green border.

Click to expand...

This edition/version of the Prince of Swords is the
Big Icky Green One...
by USGames, measuring 3.75 x 5.5 of limpid lime.
So ~ definitely not a likable border there. I found
the other on-line, and figure it's a much older deck.

The Berkeley Galleries Exhibition Catalogue by Frieda Harris
is from the back of the little white books ~ in her own write.

Frieda Fan Club Newsletter #35

Fulgour said:

in her own write

Click to expand...

I have a feeling this is one of the reasons Crowley could work with her--she spoke up and had her own ideas. I don't imagine many people did with him, and yet he probably craved the intellectual connection and challenge.

She must have been a remarkable human.