[KarlThomas]

This card is riddled with turquoise, one of my favorite colors, and has a particularly vertical composition. He has his ear to both the tomis and the universal, yet something blocks part of his vision. There is a star cluster which could be seen as a feather emerging from the side of his head.

We know this cat to be the chief in charge, male side of the potent EE duo. Not a dude to take lightly, or trifle with. Let's crack the tomb.

OK, he's associated with the strong force: the power that makes subatomic particles adhere and form matter. This force is as prevalent and needed in our universe as the emperor force inside us suggesting we eat something before heading into the storm, and moreover, that shoes would be a good idea.

Emperor power is water we swim in daily; our relationship to this essential boss voice within is important: it informs outer authority interactions.

[Leo62]

Just getting back into the groove post-Christmas

This is one of the cards that really grew on me over time. I wasn't that happy with it when we first did it, and I bowed to Chris's suggestion that we leave it be. I'm glad I did because once I'd let go of my Emperorish preconceptions I started to appreciate it. It has a real Roman feel that fits with the traditional meaning of the card but also gives a bit of a different slant on it.

This Emperor feels quite calm to me, if a bit cold. Wise authority rather than a controlling tyrant. I always think of this card as being about our inner authority - our superego - as well as the way we encounter authority Out There.

[nisaba]

The thing that hits me every time about this card is the hollowness of the one visible eye, the right eye. It seems to open into the depths of the Emperor's head, which is lit up inside with ... what? Raw energy? The Strong Force? (which is actually tiny). Intelligence? That eye, the unseeing eye without pupil or iris, burns out of the card and makes me confront my own weakness, my own un-Emperor-likeness.

The LWB doesn't seem to have a list of the photographic subjects whose likenesses were woven into this deck?

[KarlThomas]

Well, in this thread:

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread...1&page=2&pp=50


A partial listing is posted from Chris, co-creator, here paraphrased...

Talking of things materialising
Rather a lot of AT members ended up materialising on the cards!

Here's a rogue's gallery:

Empress (Sidhe Ra)
Lovers (Angeldancer on the left)
Knight of Pentacles (Nigel Jackson - Face within the Pentacle)
Queen of Pentacles (JoJoJo)
Eight of Swords (JoJoJo)

Knight of Swords (Lee- face within nebula)
Knight of Wands (Lee - Eyes within planet Mars)
King of Wands (Cirom)
Two of Cups (Chubbymummy on right)
Three of Cups (L-r. Fudagazi, Tabbycat, Angeldancer)

Queen of Cups (Fudagazi)

Two extra cards that didn't make it into the published deck:

Juno (Chubbymummy)
Jupiter (Cirom)

and two miserable b****rs that found their way in unauthorised!!

Queen of Wands
King of Pentacles

There may be more to discover there, I'm a little sleepy now. Or Chris is really quite decent about answering deck questions.

Glad you are on this!

[Leo62]

Originally Posted by KarlThomas

and two miserable b****rs that found their way in unauthorised!!

Queen of Wands
King of Pentacles

LOL

nisaba - I've a feeling the face on the Emperor is not a "real" person but came from clipart or a public domain photo. I'm sure Chris will be able to give you a more specific answer when he's online.

It's mostly the courts that we used real-life tarot people (!) for, plus one or two majors.

[nisaba]

And yet the deck is so densely populated! There are faces, or fragments of faces, or hints of faces in almost every card. That Emperor and his empty eye gets me every time, but he looks like a photograph of a real person - that has had extensive work done.