Janis
In love and romance fish means longing for someone
In general, I agree with you that people can do what they want, and can read how they want! You're right -- there may have been some imposition of structure on the deck and its meanings after Mlle. Lenormand's time. But whatever occurred at that point is what became the traditional method, and it seems like it's been pretty consistent since then, and that's what has made it such a unique system. (I'm no Lenormand historian, though, so I may be wrong.)
But I can also explain why I, personally, do not want to read the Lenormand intuitively, and why I'm interested in learning the traditional, well-established method (regardless of what Mlle. Lenormand herself actually did). The practical perspective and traditionalism is what attracted me to this deck. If I read it intuitively by the art, then it would feel no different to me than tarot, or an oracle deck. And for me, the specialness of Lenormand, and what makes it appealing as something different to learn, is the reading method. I like that it's basically learning a different language. Specific meanings, combined in a certain way to mean certain things when specific cards are next to each other. Creating noun-adjective-verb-adverb types of sentences. Etc. I like that the images are simple so that the "intuition" used with this method focuses on narrowing down the concept/meaning combinations, not on the symbolism of an artist's personal vision within the art. I like the grammatical structure of the method instead of using positional spreads, or non-positional intuitive layouts.
I enjoy reading tarot or oracles intuitively, don't mistake me, but I really like the challenge of doing this cool and very different thing with the Lenormand. It's only bad to read the Lenormand intuitively if you are trying to read it how it's been read historically, or are trying to learn the Lenormand method. If we go too far in the intuitive direction, then I think something essential about the uniqueness of the Lenormand will have been lost, and I would feel poorer for it.
People who want to read intuitivly can keep themselves to oracle card, both Tarot and Lenormand have a tradition that is important to be familiar with.
Wrong: Tarot is an intuitive Oracle system. There's no "traditional" way to read Tarot.
On this forum we welcome any and all methods of reading with Lenormand cards. Nobody likes to be told what they can or can't do with their decks.People who want to read intuitivly can keep themselves to oracle card, both Tarot and Lenormand have a tradition that is important to be familiar with.