Tarot Art in the 21st Century
Fig 116. Ancient Sibyl with Greyhound, Robert M. Place, fine art print (2003).
Robert Place is an American "visionary" artist or Tarot artist, and his work is known internationally. He is the author and illustrator of several books about Tarot and he designs Tarot decks that are used to foretell the future. This painting was designed for a proposed Pre-Raphaelite Tarot deck. Tarot cards can be a useful guide to self-knowledge simply because they remind us to “know thyself,” which is a famous adage that was engraved on the walls of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, Greece.
According to the artist, the image is based on a sibyl, named Thessalica, who lived in ancient Greece, near Thebes (illustrated as a walled-city in the background). There was a sibyl who lived in the ancient region of Thessalia, Greece (also known as Thessaly). This region is located in flatlands surrounded by Olympia, Parnassus and other mountains, not far from Delphi and other famous oracle sites. She was nicknamed Thessalica for the same reason that sibyls are sometimes called Delphica, Persica, Tiburtina, Cumana, Libya, etc. The actual names of the sibyls became irrelevant over the years as numerous sibyls presided over the shrines.
In Fig. 116, the sibyl is seated on a rustic chair made of branches (minus the laurel leaves). The large greyhound dog lying at her feet is a symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. Above her head, the crescent moon is in alignment with Venus and Mars, which is a harmonious planetary aspect. She is holding-up a scroll with letters that spell (clockwise) TARO. I suppose, the viewer is expected to reuse the first letter (T) in order to complete the word TAROT. In the center of the scroll, there is an all-seeing-eye which is like a mystical third-eye because the figure is looking directly at the viewer. The eye is surrounded by a six-pointed star, a simplified variation of the Seal of Solomon discussed in Part IV (Fig. 102).
The "ancient sibyl," appears to be fairly young. She is wearing heavy green drapery, and props-up one of the Sibylline Books on her lap in order for the viewer to see the tetraktys on the cover. A tetraktys is a triangular shape made up of 10 dots, which is attributed to Pythagoras, Greek philosopher, mathematician, and inventor who is given credit by some scholars for discovering music in the sixth century BC. The tetraktys is an array of ten dots which forms an equilateral triangle and must be counted from top to bottom: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10. This discovery led to a philosophy, based on the universality and completeness of the number ten. According to ancient scholars, such as Pythagoras, the tetraktys, and variations, prove that four and ten are harmonious numbers that rule the universe. [14, 15]
Conclusion
Fig. 117. Fortune-Teller, Naples. Photo by Linda Cicarella (2016).
People have been interested in oracles, prophets and fortune-tellers since the seventh century BC, because human beings are mysterious by nature and naturally curious about the future. Sibyls, as they were known in ancient times, no longer exist; but fortune-tellers and psychics are available in every urban town. In 2016, I saw a fortune-teller on the streets of Naples (Fig. 117). She smiled, and made eye contact, but did not speak. When I dropped a coin in the bowl, she gave me advice in the form of a quote by Paul Coelho, a famous Brazilian author. The quote is translated as follows:
You have to fight for your dreams, but you must also know that when certain paths prove impossible, it’s better to preserve your energy for other paths.
I have worked on the Galleria project over a period of approximately 20 years. The artwork, history, and legends about sibyls opened my eyes and imagination to the fascinating world of art history, which helped to expand the universe in my mind. When an artist paints a picture or when an author writes a story, they get “lost” in their work. I’ve learned that losing yourself in a research project that is personally interesting, inspiring and enjoyable is one way to find yourself.
— Linda
"Know Thyself"
Fig. 118. Gnōthi Seautón = "Know Thyself" in Greek. Stone with 12 angles is in Cusco, Peru.
Unknown artist's impression of the Delphic maxim that was inscribed on a wall in the pronaos (forecourt) of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece where the sibyl (also known as the Oracle) presided. The maxim has been passed down since antiquity to remind us that in order to understand the world, you must first understand yourself.
There were two Delphic maxims engraved on the temple walls in the entryway. The second was "mēdén ágan, which means, "nothing in excess." The phrases may have originated from one or more of the Seven Sages of Greece.
"Know Thyself" is a thought provoking aphorism or maxim that has been attributed to Thales of Miletus (c. 624/623 – c. 548/545 BC), [16], Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570 – c. 495 BC), Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 – c. 475 BC), and other ancient Greek philosophers. [17] Heraclitus is the earliest source for information about sibyls.
The phrase has also been attributed to Socrates (c. 470 – 399 BC) who taught one of the most important lessons for all times, when he said:
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
END OF PART V
