Are stage cards universal?

Hi, I have been reading about stage cards. I understand that Pamela designed certain RWS cards to look like a stage scene - possibly stemming from her work as a stage designer.

I've read that when they appear, most of the time, the meaning remains the standard meaning, but *sometimes* it might mean that people are acting and that things are very different underneath. The rest of the spread should show if that is the case.

My question is: do stage cards only exist in the RWS? Or, as 4 Wands (for example) is a stage card in RWS, should I also look for pretence if it turns up with a reading using another deck?

Thanks

I am not sure about stage cards, this is the first I have heard of them...but I think the whole concept is really interesting! Now I want to go through my RWS and see which cards I think are 'stage' cards!

Thanks for sharing.

Where did you read this?

There are several threads about stage cards, such as this one.

Thank You LRichard!

I'll enjoy reading this.

cmarie said:

I am not sure about stage cards, this is the first I have heard of them...but I think the whole concept is really interesting! Now I want to go through my RWS and see which cards I think are 'stage' cards!

Thanks for sharing.

Where did you read this?

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Not sure if we are allowed to link to other sites on here?
I was reading the Truly Teach Me Tarot site (Google will find it.) My second favourite Tarot site after this!

So - stage cards just exist in RWS?

milliefive said:

......So - stage cards just exist in RWS?

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I've never thought much about it. It seems to have been an idea unique to the artist who did the RWS images. She also designed theater sets and such. There are some decks in which there are cards which appear to depict individuals who may be taking part in ritual dramas, such as in a fraternal lodge, but I can't think of any, other than the RWS, which actually depict a stage on which the drama takes place.

I've heard the subterfuge idea in the past and I've never known quite what to make of it. It is an intriguing idea, but ultimately quite subjective, especially as we have no way of knowing what PCS's original ideas were. A stage could also be interpreted in other ways, depending on the card.

So I see these cards as a quirk of this deck. If the idea of subterfuge helps you in readings with this or any other deck helps you then there should be no problem in exporting it.

milliefive said:

My question is: do stage cards only exist in the RWS?

Click to expand...

Yes (and in near identical copies of the deck).

And we have no idea if they were meant to signify anything (for instance, to differentiate them from the other cards) or if the "stage line" was just to make the perspective clearer.

The thread that LRichard linked to (above) is full of interesting ideas.

It seems to me that the illustrations behind the stage lines are merely "scenic backdrops" - mostly landscapes - generic backgrounds to fill out space for the figures that actually illustrate the card. It could say: don't pay any attention to the backdrop - it's generic.

We've seen from the "Non-scenic RWS pips" thread that sometimes just the pip markers alone can be expressive of the card. It would be interesting to view these stage cards without their backdrops. Would anything really be lost from the card?

BTW, I notice that all four suits have the 2s and 4s as stage cards except the 2 of Wands and 4 of Swords. I wonder if the 2 of Wands castle balastrade might have served as the edge of the stage? But then, why the 2s and 4s? The 4 of Swords is less likely to be included as a stage card - although there is a separating line between the horizontal sword and the effigy.

And why the Page of Cups alone of all the courts included, unless it is just to separate him from the water?

Remember that Pixie had very little time in which to illustrate 78 cards - could some of this have been merely a time factor?

My dad used to have an art instruction book with a technique of using 2 horizon lines instead of just one for more accurate perspectives. I've never used the idea of stage cards because I was never sure if it was a drawing technique or something significant.