Tarot of Prague Café Club - 9 of Wands

Bean Feasa

I always find this an intriguing card, and the ToP rendering is a particularly effective one, I think. The guy on guard looks tense, suspicious and battle-weary - look at the scar on his cheek. He makes me think of a film hero, someone who grew up on mean streets, whose buddies got killed in shootouts - someone who isn't going to let anyone encroach on his patch ever again. Someone really tough, but goodhearted behind it all. Someone who takes really good care of his ageing mother.
The perspective is fantastic - the castle looms up ominously behind him, and that wash of claret colour really adds to the sinister atmosphere.
I think it's interesting that the big spear he's holding isn't one of the wands - this guy has eight wands planted behind him, one wand in his hand, and then on top of all that he has this enormous spear propped in the crook of his right arm and a serious-looking sword slung on his left hip. So... are you talking to me? I don't see anyone else here....!
When making notes for these studies, I generally try to write my own impressions and only check the book afterwards. I found it very difficult to figure out what the fat golden bees buzzing around the sentry-like figure meant - the best I could come up with was that maybe they were a suggestion of another world, a more peaceful, natural place - out in the country perhaps. I thought of people who downshift - leaving the frenetic pace of the city to live on the land, and grow things and keep bees etc. Leaving their high-powered, nine-wands jobs, letting down their defences. The book's take on the bees though is that they remind us that a bee dies once it stings - so they're a warning to the damage we do to ourselves when we attack (or defend!). Either way, they're a fascinating detail in a fascinating card.
 

Jewel-ry

Hi everyone,

This card fascinates me. It has come up for me a few times since I've had this deck.

The lighting in this card says so much. The sun shines on the other side of the building throwing this side into shadow. The purple/orange/yellow glow indicates that its evening - twilight. This, together with his battle weary look tells me that this guy has had a long hard battle of sorts. His helmet is off but he still holds all his weapons. His sword, his wand and what looks like a jousting pole, are all in readiness for the next onslaught. He almost appears to be challenging us to make a move. 'Go on, make my day!'. The jousting pole can be used to knock your opponent off balance from a great distance, so you can go back in and make the kill ... oouch.

This guy takes no prisoners, he's ready for battle. His wands carry their own battle scars. He's been there before. The battle may not be over yet!

I like the touch with the bees. Really clever.

J :)

Bean Feasa - You've done it again, with 3 cards this time and this is one of them. Hp and Empress were the others! Weird.
 

annik

My first impression was that he was a really good looking guy. I tend to like those warrior looking guys with a heart of gold. It is true that the bees where a nice addition. It makes me think that being on a battlefield, he may had not the time to wash himself. Too buzy with war!
 

Queen of Disks

I also had the idea that bees may attack if they feel threatened (usually when some human does something stupid) so this man may need to watch his step and stay way from the bees, their hive, or their food source.