ihcoyc
My eccentric theory about the Papess is that she was originally the allegorical figure of Faith. (The Star was perhaps originally Hope; but where did Charity go? The Lovers?)
This link has an image of Vermeer's seventeenth century allegorical painting of Faith. Like the Papess, she is musing over a book. In Vermeer's painting she is standing on a globe, which is reminiscent of the image of the World in some old decks:
http://www.mystudios.com/vermeer/33/vermeer-allegory-of-faith.html
Breughel did an allegory of Hope, but it's difficult to relate his image to any of the trumps.
http://www.afaweb.org/education/bruegel4.asp
This link has an image of Vermeer's seventeenth century allegorical painting of Faith. Like the Papess, she is musing over a book. In Vermeer's painting she is standing on a globe, which is reminiscent of the image of the World in some old decks:
http://www.mystudios.com/vermeer/33/vermeer-allegory-of-faith.html
Breughel did an allegory of Hope, but it's difficult to relate his image to any of the trumps.
http://www.afaweb.org/education/bruegel4.asp