Shadowscapes Study: Emperor

Please share your interpretations here. Here is the artists description which can be found on the Shadowscapes website:

E M P E R O R

The Emperor remembers....

He remembers when once there was another man. Was it his father? A mentor? Or was it a vanquished king? His mind arcs back, grasping. Once.... There was another, and he relinquished the dragon orb.

He remembers his own fascination with the orb upon first laying eyes on it, and as he touched it the strength of the creature within surged through his arms and possessed his senses. "You are now the lord of these mortal realms." Was it the other who had said that? Or was it the dragon? He was now the dragon!

"Yessss," he said, and knew it was so.
Meaning: Creating order out of chaos, authority, leadership, strength, establishing law and order. The carvings on the wall bear the symbols of the domain, and of dominion. The eagle rises above mountains and sea, night and day, and all the earthly creatures bow. But even though the imagery of the carvings may be magnificent, still a wall is a man-made edifice; man's measure and means of controlling the wildness of the world by attempting to carve it into unchanging stone. The Emperor is a man rooted in his ways and views and regimens, but confident that this is the right and way of things; structure.

first a question, is there a way to get notice when a new card appears?

I love the way he is anchored in the tree base, set in his ways? or just sure of his ways.
the rams and eagle on the ring say strength in belief.

what do you think the cross hanging by a red thread or rope twined on his right horn means?

I love the fact the artist established the rooted to the ground is a reminder that this is someone who is firm in belief, that to him there is no alternative.

~kloeyy

The Emperor is portrayed in this card as a tribal elder. Although initially a little unsure of this representation, I now love it and think it fits The Emperor perfectly.

The tree limbs growing up around his feet representing The Emperor's base of power, in the natural world. The cross hanging from the horns, tied by a sensory, red ribbon, symbolizing how The Emperor views or uses religion, as a trinket, an adornment.

His globe, his source of power, he holds tight to and guards with his life. His commanding presense an implicit warning to all that approach.

Looking at the card, I see an ankh rather than a cross. The ankh is a symbol of life, sometimes called "the key of life". In this case, I see it as a reminder for the Emperor, to take his duties seriously, since "life" is always hanging in the balance.

I also like the circle that surrounds the Emperor, with all of its engraved symbols. (There are so many circles in this deck!)

I see symbols of Strength: dragon, stag, ram, eagle

Symbols of Stability: mountain, castle, sun

Symbols of Change and Rebirth: Green Man, snake, moon, birds, water

I also see an ankh, and I like the notion that "life hangs in the balance," as the symbol literally hangs from his horns (which make me think of power, strength, honor and distinction). The Emperor himself, halfway through the circle, forms a sort of ankh as well. It's interesting how elaborate the stone circle is in relation to how empty the center is (save for the Emperor himself).

This is the 3rd card that I can think of (the Queen and King of Pents) in which the person is portrayed as both a person and a tree. The Emperor and the King take this a step further, and are additionally part dragon (the Emperor's orb, the dragon at the base of the King's tree).

I just noticed that the same symbol, the ankh hanging from a red ribbon, is also on The Hanged Man...

My opinion is still out on the Emperor, but I think I have always struggled with him as a figure because I see my father and everyone else who has control over situations, sometimes when you don't want them to. At first glance he is a much more simple Emperor than is common. There is no throne, but then, yes, the tree at his feet is his throne, and not only that but...to me anyways, a tree has always been such a pure symbol for wisdom. The background is actually one of the key elements in this card, perfect for a character grounded in reality and control. Contrasting, the Empress' background is vague and fluid with lots of colors. The ring, his sphere of knowledge and influence, shows animals of strength, a greenman (huzzah!) and both the sun and the moon. Always he is trying to keep a handle on the motion of the universe and the motion of his kingdom (the orb). I also dig the little fairy friends, perched on his branches as if waiting for orders...

I have issues with male authority figures so I can't say that I like this card, but the very reason I don't like it is the reason it works so well, I guess. This guy definitely looks like he's in charge, and doesn't like anyone to question it.

Thanks for the explanation of the ankh as the "key of life." Notice that the emperor himself is an ankh. He is standing in an ankh pose, topped by the circle created by his horns.

Tree roots wrapped around his feet, the emperor is bound by tradition as much as he draws his power from it. Though his position gives him authority, it also limits his freedom and discretion.

I like the circular version of a totem pole on the wall. To me, this represents culture -- the lore and institutions that tie us to the past in a way that gives us identity and meaning.

The stone wall itself, though cracked with age, is a symbol of the great works of civilization. It required many workers to put it in place, and it stands solidly for centuries.