Gilded - The Fool

RedMaple

This Fool has a blue jester's cap with a mask, a redd vest, and blue and white checked trousers that end just below the knee. His shirt and stockings are the white of purity. He is balancing on a wand, juggling a hoop on his foot, and is at a very odd angle, trying to keep his balance. There is a waning moon behind him, which seems odd -- shouldn't it be a waxing moon or a new moon if this is to be a lunar card at all. Or is it not the moon at all, but the Earth behind him?

The wand and ring seem to me to be part of the journey of Tarot, the integration of the male and female aspects of self. He is not aware of their meaning at this point, but is combining them in this feat.

He seems a very magical, if lonely, Fool, and it seems that there are aspects of the Marseille Batteleur in this Fool. But what he is juggling are the symbols of the zodiac.

This image is very different from the RWS. There is no cliff, no little dog or other animal to accompany or warn him. He is dancing in the universe, and doing a nearly impossible feat with ease, it seems. He could be the baby waiting to be born -- what sign will he choose to be born under? When will he slip and fall into the material world? When will conception happen (the wand and ring united.)

His expression seems a little worried, or maybe he's just concentrating. I don't see the delight and confidence that usually accompanies the Fool in this image. But there is a sense of easy competence, of everything being like dancing, that I really like.
 

souljourney

The Fool is doing a balancing act of sorts on the circle and wand. I love that he is juggling the symbols of the zodiac. He wants to use them but doesn't know how yet. It's still a game...but he wants to learn about something revealing and deeper. There is still a playfulness quality...whether playful or foolishish is yet to be seen (depends on the reading/feeling I get). With the mask it shows he's still unkown to himself even. He looks ready for anything though. He may not know everything about what he's getting into but the enthusaism and willingness are there.

RedMaple...I hadn't thought about the wand/circle symbolism being a male/female one but I find it interesting. This is sort of a "birth"/beginning of something card so that makes sense.
 

annik

This fool is in mid-air. There isn't solid ground under his feet (at least, that we don't see) The fool seems to be curious and maybe he knows a bit more that what he makes appear. But he sure seems to have some fun. Even if he have a bit of knowledge, he approach life with a open mind and see the fun side.
 

satinangel

The fool totally lives in the moment, he is filled with curiosity. He is fun-filled and energetic. He does not know where his journey will take him or quite how he will get there.
 

Tarot Boy

I hope this is not innappropriate to say, and I don't mean it with any negative connotations either. But The Fool looks VERY similar to current U.S. President George Bush. If you look at the face and eyes of the fool, you can see the resemblence, don't you think?
 

satinangel

Tarot Boy said:
I hope this is not innappropriate to say, and I don't mean it with any negative connotations either. But The Fool looks VERY similar to current U.S. President George Bush. If you look at the face and eyes of the fool, you can see the resemblence, don't you think?

There are some similarities...I also see a little "Robin Williams" in him as well.

...also, there is somewhere a thread...I think it's in the Tarot Fun and Games, where we were picking certain cards, that looked like actors/characters on tv/film....I will got there and try find it and bump it....I loved reading those...
 

wizzle

Study groups still going?

Are study groups for the Gilded Tarot still active? I just got my deck yesterday and would like to participate.
 

Moonbow

Wizzle

By posting your thoughts, you can re-activate a study group at any time. At some point others will join in, in their own time. By all means post.
 

HearthCricket

This Fool is a mix of cleverness and folly. One false move and his juggling will fall apart, and he will trip over his twirling act on his lower leg, and fall to the unknown. The skies above, while he pays attention to the juggling act, trying to decide which choice he will make, are clear and starry, with the moon shining, though showing a bit of shadow, foreshadowing the possibility of danger. The skies below are darker, as though a storm is gathering. He juggles in almost a shrug like position, showing his immaturity and carelessness, not quiet ready for commitment. While full of talent and potential, he must learn to focus and concentrate on less things, or his playful attitude will end up in a serious stumble.
 

wizzle

not anyone's fool

Our Mythic study group is working on that version of the Fool, so I think I'm very influenced by that image as well as the classic RWS and Thoth versions. As part of the study group, I've read most of the threads on this board dealing with the image. My bottom line on the Gilded version is that this Fool has moved on in terms of symbolism. He is, as it were, a 21st century Fool, not the turn of the 20th century versions epitomized by RWS and Thoth.

I feel this is a much wiser Fool. He is buff. Look at those great legs!! Snazzy outfit too. He is not the Thoth Fool with a silly look facing you among whirls of symbols he probably doesn't understand. Nor is he the RWS guy about to step off the cliff because he's too much of an airhead to look where he's going.

The Gilded Fool is playful, but check out what he's playing with....the entire zodiac.....another of the great symbol sets. I think I'm being told that I'm about to be guided along interesting paths while this set of cards (the rest of the Fool's journey) is going to make the same type of caustic comments the-Fool-as-Courtier would have made to his royal audience. I know from the fool's mask that I will not be told all at first. I will need to move past the mask to the interior of the cards.

This Fool makes me feel special. He invites me to the grand spectacle of life and the Tarot deck to come. He has his tongue firmly in his cheek and his feet carefully planted in the air. He is young, vibrant and in charge of this deck as other fools aren't.

He's like a lot like my 27 year old son and other the brats he hangs around with who are occasionally.....only occasionally......way smarter than I am. I'm thinking maybe this deck will be a challenge in terms of reading.