Aeric
The identity of the angels on the Lovers, Temperance and Judgement cards interests me. Obviously Waite opted not to name them or associate them with any particular angelic hierarchy, but he included a little new symbolism and visual references that inspire comparisons.
The Angel who blesses the Lovers in Eden replaces the child-like cherub or Cupid of the Marseille card. What inspired Waite to exchange them, and is this angel ever named by scholars? His hair is wild and aflame, even psychadelic, which is unusual for classical depictions of angels. The rays of light emanating from him remind me of Uriel, the angel identified as the Light of God, who would also guard Eden with the flaming sword when they were expelled.
The Temperance angel bears the astrological Sun symbol and is the only winged figure in the deck to have a direct astrological reference depicted, where the original angel was merely a robed, winged woman. According to the Key, this angel is sexless, which is typical of several authorities' opinions of angels. Also:
So also are the conventional meanings, which refer to changes in the seasons, perpetual movement of life and even the combination of ideas. It is, moreover, untrue to say that the figure symbolizes the genius of the sun, though it is the analogy of solar light, realized in the third part of our human triplicity.
The source I found for "genius" is card 31 of the Mantegna deck, which calls him Iliaco, a name deriving from the god Helios. So apparently Waite wanted to distinguish this figure from Iliaco. My next guess would have been Michael, the Archangel of the Sun in occult, without his characteristic soldier's armour. But it feels like even Waite wouldn't shy from depicting a classical representation of a famous angel without his signature attribute, especially since he has placed explicit symbols of the Four Evangelists on the Wheel and the World.
The second description is curious. Solar light is realized in the third part of our human triplicity. To what does this refer? I immediately thought of Plato's allegory of the soul, of which the sun would govern gold, the spirited "ruler." Or this could refer to the triple Godhead or Trinity in humans, with the Holy Spirit being the third part?
The Judgement card is sometimes called simply "The Angel." When did this title begin appearing on it? I haven't seen it often save on a few Italian decks, and it seems a recent development.
The Wikipedia article says the angel is sometimes believed to be Gabriel, but lists no sources. The identification of Gabriel with the trumpeter in Thessalonians is a popular belief. S. Vernon McCasland in his article Gabriel's Trumpet recounted the earliest identitification of Gabriel as the trumpeter in a 1455 Armenian manuscript.
I can't tell if Waite also believed his Judgement angel to be Gabriel or whether it's another nameless figure.
The Angel who blesses the Lovers in Eden replaces the child-like cherub or Cupid of the Marseille card. What inspired Waite to exchange them, and is this angel ever named by scholars? His hair is wild and aflame, even psychadelic, which is unusual for classical depictions of angels. The rays of light emanating from him remind me of Uriel, the angel identified as the Light of God, who would also guard Eden with the flaming sword when they were expelled.
The Temperance angel bears the astrological Sun symbol and is the only winged figure in the deck to have a direct astrological reference depicted, where the original angel was merely a robed, winged woman. According to the Key, this angel is sexless, which is typical of several authorities' opinions of angels. Also:
So also are the conventional meanings, which refer to changes in the seasons, perpetual movement of life and even the combination of ideas. It is, moreover, untrue to say that the figure symbolizes the genius of the sun, though it is the analogy of solar light, realized in the third part of our human triplicity.
The source I found for "genius" is card 31 of the Mantegna deck, which calls him Iliaco, a name deriving from the god Helios. So apparently Waite wanted to distinguish this figure from Iliaco. My next guess would have been Michael, the Archangel of the Sun in occult, without his characteristic soldier's armour. But it feels like even Waite wouldn't shy from depicting a classical representation of a famous angel without his signature attribute, especially since he has placed explicit symbols of the Four Evangelists on the Wheel and the World.
The second description is curious. Solar light is realized in the third part of our human triplicity. To what does this refer? I immediately thought of Plato's allegory of the soul, of which the sun would govern gold, the spirited "ruler." Or this could refer to the triple Godhead or Trinity in humans, with the Holy Spirit being the third part?
The Judgement card is sometimes called simply "The Angel." When did this title begin appearing on it? I haven't seen it often save on a few Italian decks, and it seems a recent development.
The Wikipedia article says the angel is sometimes believed to be Gabriel, but lists no sources. The identification of Gabriel with the trumpeter in Thessalonians is a popular belief. S. Vernon McCasland in his article Gabriel's Trumpet recounted the earliest identitification of Gabriel as the trumpeter in a 1455 Armenian manuscript.
I can't tell if Waite also believed his Judgement angel to be Gabriel or whether it's another nameless figure.