Steampunk tarot (Moore) - 10 cups

shadowdancer

This did take me by surprise.
Usually decks show a happy jolly scene, involving two or more people, depending on the angle they want to portray.

This has two people, and it seems to rather static and devoid of much by way of emotion. Now this does strike me as a little strange, and is nowhere near as dynamic as many cards seem to be in this deck. In fact - not very steampunky at all.

We have an archway with the ironwork around the top being made up of the cups of the suit. They are in varying degrees of orientation.
Underneath, on a plain park type bench we have our happy couple. Or are they? Jumping ahead of myself here a little. She looks very demure, prim and proper. WIth regards how the artist has drawn her, it is hard to tell if she is looking at her suitor or not. She may be looking at him without turning her head, or she may just be looking slightly ahead. Anyways, what is clear is that she has not turned her head towards him. Is she being shy and demure, or is she lacking interest? Her entire body language looks far from relaxed.
He, on the other hand seems more open and interested. His right arm seems to be across the back of the bench, his left hand holding her left hand. Overall, he is far more relaxed and engaged in the union here.

** I guess the left hand holding left hand could be seen as symbolically significant (wedding band hands in many societies). Is it relevant here?

** If they were talking, what would they be saying?

** What is each character thinking? (I guess answers to this and the previous would depend on the reading, place in spread and surrounding cards).

This whole scene, to me has more of a 2 of cups ring to it. Seriously, if you took off the borders and title and asked someone to name the card and suit they would probably get it right only because of the number of chalices there are around the top of the archway. Otherwise, I do feel it would be easy to think this was an earlier card from this suit. I just don't sense they have known each other that long, nor have they built up a rapport, and feel totally comfortable with each other. It makes me realise you are truly compatable with someone when you both feel comfortable with just being with each other in silence. The only sense of energy I pick up around this card is the presence of the sun in the background. Therefore, if this deck were used in a reading, this card may have a more muted message than normal. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily.