Mary El Tarot - The Fool

Laura Borealis

I noticed that the Mary-El card backs have orange and blue ouroboros serpents intertwined in a lemniscate pattern, stylistically echoing the orange and blue twisting dragons on the Fool card. See attached.
Nice catch, Strange! :thumbsup:
 

Requiella

Are you maybe suggesting that the face is not a mask but actually a head of a monarch? Interesting.... :)
I kinda thought it curled the wrong way, but still a very cool idea, even if it is a part of the mask to mimic that.

I see it as a mask, just that the mask happens to have the proboscis...but who knows. :)
 

Jet Aluna

The Fool

Well you all saw so many wonderful things in this card that I hardly feel worthy to comment... (and I'm going off the online scan too. My pre-ordered deck will be here any day though!)

I saw the dragons as representing fire/water also, but I loved that you guys explored other possibilities. I didn't even realize the dragons HAD hands (or paws?) until someone noted the I Ching hexagrams... and the caduceus! Brilliant!

Is that the alchemical symbol for water in the lower right corner?

And those boots! They weren't made for walkin! I love the boots!

Jet Aluna
 

Debra

What is this under his arm, coming out from where his chin would be?

Oh duh. What I was seeing as a penis-like protuberance is just the side of his neck, with the curlicue in front of it.

As you were.
 

Londubh

It's probably just artistic license and nothing more, but notice how the Fool is facing forward. Traditionally the Fool is walking to the right or left.
 

Londubh

Ever had a moment when you you realize that you have posted something that sounds stupid? The Fool isn't walking to the right or left because the Fool has already walked off the cliff. I know this, but we still don't see the Fool moving in a direction, the Fool faces us. Is he just appearing to us, or is he confronting us?
 

herself

I like the idea that he's some sort of chaotic butterfly mutant! He's just burst out of his chrysalis in a way no-one ever expected, and he's going to take on the world! You can see the other butterflies going OMG, get out of the waaaay!
 

herself

Ever had a moment when you you realize that you have posted something that sounds stupid? The Fool isn't walking to the right or left because the Fool has already walked off the cliff. I know this, but we still don't see the Fool moving in a direction, the Fool faces us. Is he just appearing to us, or is he confronting us?

I think you can make out the cliff edge... just. Just underneath his left toe.
 

BrightEye

OMG! I love this Fool! There's so much energy here! And the butterfly symbolism is fabulous! (As is the man's physique... swoon!)
 

daphne

Is this fool punching the butterflies in front of him? Right arm is in a defensive-aggressive position.

(and after he kills them, he uses them to make either shoes, like we make from crocodiles, either masks, like in Venetian carnival, to hide his morbid impulses)