Wonderful Mermaids - Shame about the arms...

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 08 Aug 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Hedera	08 Aug 2003
I've bought the Tarot of the Mermaids last week. I really love it, more than I thought I would, even. It's a very lovely, delightful and fairy-tale like RWS-based deck, with some cards (like the 8 of wandsoars) that I think are an improvement over the RWS. However.... Last night, when I was looking at all of the cards for about the 50th time, very slowly, I noticed that the mermaids in the three of wands and the knight of pentacles seem to be missing and arm! In the 3 of wands I can sort of imagine her having it beside her body, out of our line of sight, although she would have to twist her arm very strangely to do that. In the knight of pentacles, however, it is simply not there. There is a shoulder, and some trailing fabric, but no arm.... :( It's almost as if the artist, in the rush of trying to finish 78 paintings before the deadline, just forgot to draw the arms.... It's such a pity, because it really is a great and very atmospheric deck, but I just can't stop trying to figure out where their arms are. Perhaps someone else who has this deck has an opinion? Any ideas on how I can make this 'work', artistically, anatomically, divinatorily?

Aerin	08 Aug 2003
ermmm. You could see it as a very inclusive deck because not many decks feature people who are missing limbs. Perhaps the artist actually intended this, maybe a shark got the Knight of Pentacles and he has taken the lesson to heart so he is even more careful these days. Aerin

Thirteen	08 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Aerin maybe a shark got the Knight of Pentacles and he has taken the lesson to heart so he is even more careful these days. LOL! Oh, I like that. I'm sure he was trying to protect his kingdom when it happened--and he killed the shark in the end. Thus was he knighted for his courage! All hail the one-armed pentacle knight! Does that make the card seem better, Hedera?

Hedera	08 Aug 2003
LOL! Well, he is a she.... Even before that ill-fated shark attack! But you're right, Aerin, I can't think of many (any) decks that have people with missing limbs in them.... How very PC of LoScarabeo! ;)

firemaiden	09 Aug 2003
Well, the Viking Tarot's Magician is missing a hand. There's another lo scarabeo deck where a girl is missing the lower half of her leg, I think it is the Antonia Caselli Primavera Tarot. I left my decks in germany so I can't check. That one bothers me alot too!

Aerin	15 Aug 2003
I think in the Knight she is meant to have pulled it behind her, possible to lean on the rock. Not very convincing though, I still prefer the shark theory. The 3 Wands, yes down by her side I think but again, it does look like a bit of it ought to show. Aerin

catlin	15 Aug 2003
Hm, I have to check my LoScarabeo decks more closely. I did not realize that before.

wavebreaker	15 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Thirteen LOL! Oh, I like that. I'm sure he was trying to protect his kingdom when it happened--and he killed the shark in the end. Thus was he knighted for his courage! All hail the one-armed pentacle knight! Yeah right, blame the shark, they always get the blame... :( ;)

bighairymonster	15 Aug 2003
I got my deck today. Seems like one of the women in the Lovers card is missing an arm. Eee...

Hedera	15 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by bighairymonster I got my deck today. Seems like one of the women in the Lovers card is missing an arm. Eee... Yes, I noticed that too. The top one, right? The blessing angel. Such a pity, it just seems like sloppy artwork while the rest is so lovely. I hope you still enjoy your deck though! :) Somehow, the arms don't bother me much any more.

catlin	15 Aug 2003
I sometimes have the impression that the LoScarabeo decks seems to be created sometimes under pressure of time otherwise I cannot explain the flaws etc in some decks.

Thirteen	15 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by tarotlady Yeah right, blame the shark, they always get the blame... :( Okay, how about sea serpent? Or baraccuda? Orca? A dolphin gone bad laughing maniacally as it swims away with the arm?

Aerin	15 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by tarotlady Yeah right, blame the shark, they always get the blame... :( ;) Then the shark shouldn't lurk around looking suspicious with blood on its jaws. I can see him (or her possibly) just outside the borders of the card. Aerin ps the dolphin claims she was only trying to help by returning the arm, but no-one took her seriously because of her very rare Laughing Syndrome. She doesn't know who took the arm after that.

catti	15 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Hedera Yes, I noticed that too. The top one, right? The blessing angel. Such a pity, it just seems like sloppy artwork while the rest is so lovely. I hope you still enjoy your deck though! :) Somehow, the arms don't bother me much any more. I really must protest, i think you are being overly critical, looking for negatives if you will.. the artwork does not seem sloppy to me for instance in the lovers card , they could have put her arm in behind the front two mermaids i suppose , but is it necessary? the knight of pentacles has her arm behind her back balancing her on the snake horse, you can see part of it the 3 of wands i think it was artistic freedom, artist decided to delete something you know is there because to show little fingers sticking out from behind her tail would ruin the pretty line of her back and tail / sure they could have put both hands on the oar but they didnt , work it into your interpretation... im really happy with the art in this deck , and just very enthusiastic about it so nothing above was meant as a personal attack, just defending a beloved new deck :-)

The Wonderful Mermaids - Shame about the arms... thread was originally posted on 08 Aug 2003 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.