Re: The World - Bless my Soul

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This figure need not necessarily depict someone, but could depict an idea. I am thinking in particular here of the Divine Feminine, or the Sacred Feminine (whichever term you prefer). Gnostics would have accepted the idea of a Divine Feminine, and it seems likely that Gnosticism permeates the Tarot right from its origins.

The face of the figure on the Chosson and the Dodal remind me very much of certain depictions of Mary Magdalene, who could have personified for certain groups and for some time the Divine Feminine.

Re: The World - Bless my Soul

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Has anyone seen the Iconologia of Cesare Ripa, first published in 1593? One of the allegorical images, no.52 Heaven, is shown as a young man with long hair, dressed as a Roman emperor with a cloak, wearing a crown, holding a sceptre and decorated with stars. The figure on the World card is simpler but could still represent the same things i.e. immortality and the Kingdom of Heaven and could have been used to avoid direct depiction of God or Christ on the card following on in theme from the Judgement card.
Al Craig

Re: The World - Bless my Soul

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In visconti we have kingdom, bride and crown of the bridegroom/king/christ. (maybe?)

As the soul is the bride of Christ, so the City / Kingdom is the bride of the King and the Holy City the New Jerusalem / platonic ideal city (the two concepts conflated at the time by the platonic humanists of the Sforza court) is also the bride of Christ.

So maybe it is not a matter of either/or but of the Soul ~ City ~ Bride being a configuration of ideas linked together and called upon in various versions of the World card?

Re: The World - Bless my Soul

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It is not a "who", it is a "what"-----the Speaking SIlence:

(From Book of Ezekiel)

1.4 I saw, and behold a stormy Wind (ruach) came from the north, a great cloud and flashing fire, and a Glow (nogah) round about, and from its midst a vision of the Speaking Silence (Chashmal), in the midst of the fire.

1.5 From its midst was the form of four Chayah-angels (Living Creatures) - this was their form - they had a human form.

1.6 Each one had four faces and every one had four wings.

1:7 Their feet were straight, and the soles of their feet were like those of a calf's foot, and they shined like a vision of polished copper.

1.8 Human hands were under their wings on all four sides, and all four had faces and wings.

1:9 Their wings were joined to each other, and they did not turn when they went. Each one moved in the direction of their faces as they went.

See http://www.bible.ort.org/books/haftarot ... portion=84

Re: The World - Bless my Soul

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Hello everybody,
it's good to have a new place to discuss Tarot History! :)

The images of souls from sarcophagi posted by Robert are completely new to me: I found them very interesting.
I am inclined to interpret the Sforza Castle and Vieville world cards as ascension or maybe resurrection of Christ. This links to the concept of the almond as a symbol of re-birth.

An almost naked Christ was not so uncommon, at least in the XV and XVI century.

Some random examples could be:

Hans Memling (1470 ca)
Domenico Campagnola (1550 ca)
El Greco (1570 ca)

Marco