afrosaxon
In the Mystic Dreamer (and I don't have any images for this one--sorry!) shows a woman in each of the aces. The cards have the dreamy quality that is hallmark of the deck.
The Ace of Swords shows a nighttime/twilight background. A large sword is stuck in a stone. A spark of light emits where the sword meets the stone. A woman sits beside the stone with her hand on the base of the sword, in the sparks of light. She wears a black spaghetti-strap tank top. Red roses grow out of the stone and twine up the sword. 3 purplish-red flowers grow on the front of the sword and lichen grows on the stone. A red crown perches atop the hilt of the sword. The crown has jewels and gold and looks like the formal British crown of the king/queen. A large emerald is set into the hilt of the sword. The ever-present moon is in the sky and there are large stones in the background, along with wintery-looking trees (bare branches, etc.). The entire card has a wintery feel to it. There are nine birds in the immediate sky and a larger flock in the distance.
The Ace of Cups has a winter feel; not much color to this card at all. A large crystal-looking goblet sits atop a tall stone pedestal in the middle of a lake. Ferns grow at the base of the pedestal. Moonlight illuminates the goblet; darkness surrounds this patch of light on the sides of the card. Misty water streams from the goblet and pours down the stone pedestal. A woman sits at the base of the pedestal on flower petals. She has her arms outstretched to catch the water, and she is dressed in a long, flowing white gown. A white dove flies over the goblet. Six birds fly in the sky. The background of this card isn't clear; it's shrouded in the mist.
The Ace of Pentacles shows a pedestal of stacked stones that sit in the midst of a lush green field of grass and weeds. An ornate, curlicued gold pentacle sits in a circle of twining vines with little white flowers, and this circle is atop the pedestal, stuck in a red clay pot of purple flowers. Little white flowers are in the surrounding grass, and there is a dark patch (a lake?) off to the side and behind the pedestal. Butterflies and mushrooms are around the stone pedestal. An iron gate encircles the...garden? and a woman dressed in a long dark gown stands at the open door of the gate. She looks back at the pedestal and pentacle. Trees grown within and without the gate. Ten birds are flying in the sky in an upward formation.
The Ace of Wands has a reddish/pink tinge to the card. A woman dressed in a short black dress sits beside a pool covered in mist, and she is dribbling water from the pool from her hand. A spray of purple flowers grow at her feet. A tall wand stands in the middle of a large stone that has been split apart (like someone drove the wand into the stone to split it). A raven sits on the left half of the split stone and seems to be staring down into the split. A light/crystal ball glows at the top of the wand and green leaves grow up and down the wand. In the distance, on a hill, is a white castle/kingdom. Eight birds are flying in the distance.
The cards are similar in that they all have a woman (a maiden?) in the card, like they are trying to take hold of the potential of the suit. And the whole misty, dreamy aspect fits with the nebulous, unfocused energy of the aces in general. But I don't get a strong sense of potential as I do in other decks (like in the Ace of Wands, I don't feel any energy/passion from this card). Maybe it's due to the more "feminine" feel of this deck? Not to equate "feminine" with lack of strength or power, but I just don't "feel" these aces.
And why are all of the maidens in the Aces wearing black, except for the Ace of Cups?
Thoughts?
T.
T.
The Ace of Swords shows a nighttime/twilight background. A large sword is stuck in a stone. A spark of light emits where the sword meets the stone. A woman sits beside the stone with her hand on the base of the sword, in the sparks of light. She wears a black spaghetti-strap tank top. Red roses grow out of the stone and twine up the sword. 3 purplish-red flowers grow on the front of the sword and lichen grows on the stone. A red crown perches atop the hilt of the sword. The crown has jewels and gold and looks like the formal British crown of the king/queen. A large emerald is set into the hilt of the sword. The ever-present moon is in the sky and there are large stones in the background, along with wintery-looking trees (bare branches, etc.). The entire card has a wintery feel to it. There are nine birds in the immediate sky and a larger flock in the distance.
The Ace of Cups has a winter feel; not much color to this card at all. A large crystal-looking goblet sits atop a tall stone pedestal in the middle of a lake. Ferns grow at the base of the pedestal. Moonlight illuminates the goblet; darkness surrounds this patch of light on the sides of the card. Misty water streams from the goblet and pours down the stone pedestal. A woman sits at the base of the pedestal on flower petals. She has her arms outstretched to catch the water, and she is dressed in a long, flowing white gown. A white dove flies over the goblet. Six birds fly in the sky. The background of this card isn't clear; it's shrouded in the mist.
The Ace of Pentacles shows a pedestal of stacked stones that sit in the midst of a lush green field of grass and weeds. An ornate, curlicued gold pentacle sits in a circle of twining vines with little white flowers, and this circle is atop the pedestal, stuck in a red clay pot of purple flowers. Little white flowers are in the surrounding grass, and there is a dark patch (a lake?) off to the side and behind the pedestal. Butterflies and mushrooms are around the stone pedestal. An iron gate encircles the...garden? and a woman dressed in a long dark gown stands at the open door of the gate. She looks back at the pedestal and pentacle. Trees grown within and without the gate. Ten birds are flying in the sky in an upward formation.
The Ace of Wands has a reddish/pink tinge to the card. A woman dressed in a short black dress sits beside a pool covered in mist, and she is dribbling water from the pool from her hand. A spray of purple flowers grow at her feet. A tall wand stands in the middle of a large stone that has been split apart (like someone drove the wand into the stone to split it). A raven sits on the left half of the split stone and seems to be staring down into the split. A light/crystal ball glows at the top of the wand and green leaves grow up and down the wand. In the distance, on a hill, is a white castle/kingdom. Eight birds are flying in the distance.
The cards are similar in that they all have a woman (a maiden?) in the card, like they are trying to take hold of the potential of the suit. And the whole misty, dreamy aspect fits with the nebulous, unfocused energy of the aces in general. But I don't get a strong sense of potential as I do in other decks (like in the Ace of Wands, I don't feel any energy/passion from this card). Maybe it's due to the more "feminine" feel of this deck? Not to equate "feminine" with lack of strength or power, but I just don't "feel" these aces.
And why are all of the maidens in the Aces wearing black, except for the Ace of Cups?
Thoughts?
T.
T.
