The Hermit/L'Ermite - Contrasting the Dodal and Conver

Returning to our comparative study between these two important decks, I thought I start again with an Atouts. Here are the two Hermits:



One aspect that to my eyes is striking is that the Dodal appears very much to be based on an older model that had no titles or numbers (judging by the manner in which especially the top section is carved), whereas the Conver already shows signs that the woodcarver had the card's title and number boxes in mind when setting out the design.

The two, on the whole, are strikingly similar.

They each face the left of the card, 'walking' (or facing, at least) forward if considered Hebrew fashion.

Neither of their heads are covered, yet each wears sufficient clothing to suggest either the coldness of winter, or at least of the night. Nonetheless, both also appear to be in broad daylight, holding raised a lamp with their right hand.

Each bears a walking stick, the Dodal's appearing very straight when compared to the curvature of the Conver. Interesting too is that single finger seemingly maintained uncurled around the stick on the Dodal... perhaps a suggestion of arthritis?

Each man looks aged, rather than young, the Conver having an easternly look about his face (both in terms of beard and eye representation), whereas the Dodal looks decidedly Caucasian or Semitic. The style of beard on the Dodal seemingly indicating not only possible Hermit, but also spiritual leader or teacher (rabbi, priest, etc.).

The lamp held by each (or course, 'lamp' it may not be, but personally consider that at least in both these decks it more clearly is) is peculiar in that it appears to have either six or eight sides. These are still of course made in the exact same style, further evidence of the candle-bearing implements.

Due to the thin-ness of the central section on the Dodal, the red stroke of colour even suggests a rather tall candle therein. The colouration on the Conver suggests more, to my eyes at least, a section of the lamp-frame being red.

Overall, these appear a little as though wearing night-garments, wrapped in heavy blanket-like overcoats, awake to whatever was disturbing their sleep... oops, that's going further than I intended...

jmd said:

Each bears a walking stick, the Dodal's appearing very straight when compared to the curvature of the Conver.

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The conver to me has a serpentine look about it, suggesting a serpent/staff motif.

This would fit in with the continental hebrew letter attribution teth, which in kabbalistic tradition is connected with both staff and serpent (I choose not to be as strict as Filipas in denying such well attested traditional associations of the letters because they do not appear as homonyms in dictionaries, when they appear and refered to as such in kabbalistic texts of the period and prior).

Perhaps here relevant that the name name Conver is a possilbe testament to a Jewish ancestry that converted to Christianity ['conver' being a name commonly applied to converts up to 13th century, so we are talking about someone among whom a jewish ancestor converted 3-4 hundred years prior], I say possibly because it was also used of converts from Islam too, we cannot assume a Jewish convert. And of course the Conver seems to be a reproduction of a pattern that has no direct or indirect jewish connection, the pattern does not start with Conver. Nor can we assume an inherited name implies an inherited tradition, especially when we are talking of a conversion that probably occured several centuries previous. [My thanks to Diane for her research on the history of the name 'conver'].

However I digess, the staff of the conver has a definite serpentine look, IMHO, the landscape horizon is also more curvatious and watery, than the 'plank like' dodal, the conver 'horizon' seems a 'natural' [watery or hilly] allusion, the dodal to a man-made structure such as a wall or a skirting board, as if the conver is outside, unbounded, but the dodal within a man made confine. The incomplete 'red' stroke at the centre of the dodal lamp i agree is suggestive of a candle in the lamp holder. I don't 'see' the 'night-garments' though, but I appreciate JMDs interpretation of such.

Kwaw

Hehe jmd, they look like they each have a sleeping cap don't they? The thing that strikes me is the clothes look like a better quality cape than one would expect of an aged Hermit- not ragged at all. In fact, to me they are similiar in fashion to university capes (I have no idea when that fashion and ceremony first occured.) I always in my minds eye see a snake for a staff- and I am not sure where I got that from (probably Moses lol) Maybe I should not be thinking so... With your rod and staff that give me courage (Psalms) I remember reading somewhere that the Hermit is blind, but here neither looks blind. If it was not for the block colours- he could be a monk. He also reminds me of a saint- maybe St Simeon, who lived isolated up a pole or St Jude. Is his light a beacon for others or a light to shine his own way home? ~Rosanne (I still prefer the Conver.)

Leo ~ The King!

Rosanne said:

I always in my minds eye see a snake for a staff...

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For me it is the hint of a golden orb peeking out from under
the Hermit's cloak~ and it truly makes me think of the Sun.

Phoenician letter 9 is Teth which is also associated with
the 5th Phoenician month Abu (Hebrew Ab) thus ~ Leo.

Leo hasn't a planetary exaltation in the Mesopotamian
correspondences, but Leo is the sign ruled by the Sun.

Might not L'Hermite be "the once, and future, King"
wandering for a time in disguise until he is restored,
Le Pape & Le Empereur having usurped his throne?

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel,
but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are
in the house. KJV Matthew 5:15

And we see in XVI La Maison Dieu that the usurpers will soon
be brought to an abrupt comeuppance..."Long live the King!"

I had never once thought of the Hermit that way! Will come back to on that one Fulgour shortly. ~Rosanne

I now have more questions than answers. (isn't that always the way with Tarot )
Apparently when in Italy the Hermit was Old Man Time with an Hour glass. When he appeared in woodcuts he became the Holy Hermit and was this in French Decks as well. (Place) Huson says The Hermit was Saturn as Kronos and is the Cardinal Virute Prudence. Was not Prudence a woman?
On page 141 (PLace the Tarot) there is figure 32 A hermit from an uncut sheet in the Metropolitian Museum. I think it is wonderful and the base of his garment looks like the bricks and mortar of the Tower. Looks like a progression to me. If the Hermit is based on Diogenes who rejected comfort of civilisation, then in that woodcut he is apparently taking the bricks and mortar with him lol.
Wirth is said to give his Hermit a snake- where did he get that image from? Wirth also attributes the Hermit to the constellation Bootes the Herdsman. It is interesting that near the constellation of Bootes is Serpens Caput at the Herdsmans right hand almost. It is in the western summer sky- as the sun goes down I guess a lantern is needed. Could the lantern be Corona Borealis?
Anyways back to the Conver and the Dodal. Their caps or hoods are off in both which speaks to me of visibility, Kronos has a hood on? As I see them as cloaks not capes - a cloak is symbolic of hiding ones true nature- so that brings me to Fulgours comment- who is he? (not Fulgour hehe- the Hermit) Who would this card depict in the Middle ages if he no longer depicted Old Man Time? The Universal Ascetic or a more particular well heeled Saint or King in Disguise or a depiction of the Harvestor/Herdsman who is Virgo's mate? ~Rosanne

I forgot to ask- Both Dodal and Conver (interesting history of Conver thank you and Happy Birthday Kwaw) have their cloaks blue as if this is the presumed right colour. Blue was a very expensive dye back then- so it must have been a very good reason to have them blue I think. ( I do not wish to jump to conclusions like I did with the sable on the Roys) I cannot think why blue? Truth? Wisdom? Or just cardmakers fancy? ~Rosanne

Am a bit wary of colours as I am colour blind and liable to get some colours wrong. Also the card makers worked with limited pallettes and you are likely to find all three or four colours used on every card, making it hard to imagine a particular symbolic use. The convers habit I can see is definitely green, the dodal looks brown to me, or if green a very earthy green.

Brown symbolised the vow of poverty and remembrance of the Scripture passage used on Ash Wednesday: "Remember thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return" so represented humility and encouraged remembrance that without Christ one is nothing.

Green the colour of vegetation, of seasonal renewal and a symbol of immortality and thus of hope. In alchemy it symbolises the inner or secret life that subsists in all things and the beginning of the alchemical operation.

Blue is the color of heaven symbolising the transcendant, the spiritual and mystery of divine life, to wear blue was to bring that which is distant close, to unify the higher with the lower. It was also symbolic of the rational part of the soul, of knowledge and wisdom and education. Some pigments of blue becuase of their expense were conneted with royalty [those of the blue blood] or spiritual things of high value.

Red represented the passion of christ and thus the zeal of faith, also symbol of man [adm is rooted in word for 'red', also =45 and the sum of 1-9=45 and red and blood are symbols of mars thus the number 9 was attributed to mars, but was also connected with Saturn as representing time]. Yellow symbolised truth but was also frequently used to symbolise betrayal, Judas was so frequently painted in yellow garments it bacame known as the Judas colour, Jews were made to wear yellow marks as a sign of 'infamy' and the doors of traitors were daubed with yellow. But it was also a symbol of the sun, of gold and thus of the alchemists goal [perfection of the soul].

They walk to the left often associated with the North, the place of greatest darkness [thus a lamp?], the unknown, earlier decks depict more an allegory of 'time' and in this respect the number nine is significant in being symbolic of time as 'the end of all things that have a beginning' and representing both an end [of the digits] and beginning [the end of nine months pregnancy=birth] and thus the transition from one realm [from the womb or from the light of day] to another [to the light of day or to the tomb (as gateway to whatever comes after)].

Kwaw

Thank you Kwaw, for the colour run down. I knew That Adam was the 'redman'. That seems to back to the Birth of Man in Africa- with bones been painted or daubed with red ohcre (it happened in America as well as China apparently) I did not know about the colour yellow. Interesting it is on the inside of the cloak on both Conver and Dodal. It brings back the aspect of disguise. I have been sitting here trying to think of the biblical quote to illustrate, its from St Mathew about the Hebrews not dying until they see the Son of God and his kingdom arrives. It became a legend about Jews wandering the Earth as a punishment for killing Jesus. Then of course there is Judas Iscariot the Traitor..... very interesting this Hermit. ~Rosanne

The name 'ADM' consists of 'A' and 'DM', the first in some manner representing breath (therefore spirit), and 'DM' meaning 'blood' in Hebrew - perhaps that is part of the reason for describing Adam as 'redman'.

That serpentine aspect of the the Conver walking-stick is certainly there, and must admit that as I tend to at least some of the time 'see' a connection between the ninth Hebrew letter (Teth) and this card, the snake-aspect incorporated in some later decks (such as the Wirth) can easily come to mind.

Still, the card itself makes no direct hint of this.

I wonder how much of the colouration was considered in terms of its symbolic meaning, rather than a combination of availability and ability to bring out important elements in the overall card. I say this not because of any neglect of colour symbolic content (as I personally consider that there indeed is such), but rather whether or not all coloured sections have this aspect incorporated.

For example, from an artistic perspective, it makes sense to have the central section of the lamp as red (if in some manner indicating a candle), or yellow (if in some manner indicating emanating light). Of the colours used, a darker cloak (therefore blue of the darker rather than sky variety) also makes sense. The inner robe of the Hermit could have been, from an artistic perspective, either of the green or another colour, but having it also of the darker tone gives an overall sense for the picture as aged.

The walking-stick is then artistically contrasted. Yellow could again have been used, but here the contrast is more articulated by its redness. Also, a red stick appears to have more strength than a yellow one, and by then symbolic perception, more 'life'... and so we get back to its symbolic aspect, for by having more 'life', adopts life of its own and brings to mind the Rod of Moses - the serpent.