Meganchey
The Druidcraft tarot is one of many modern tarot packs that claims to be a RWS clone deck, and on the whole, is remarkably similar. Most of the cards portray nearly the same images, though from different angles, and obviously by a different artist. There is also less Kabbalistic symbolism, and much more Druidic and Pagan symbolism.
I was taught using the RWS deck, and love it. But I was attracted to the richer and more detailed artistic styling of these cards. Looking through the deck, I was far from disappointed in the artwork, it was beyond ascetically pleasing, with a warmth and earthiness to it I adored. However, there were a few cards that just..well...strayed for me symbolically, some more than others.
The 8 of wands, for instance, traditionally depicts 4 wants flying through the air like a volley of arrows, and is the only pip card that does not depict a human figure. Of the cards that strayed from the original depictions, this is changed the least, with the addition of a figure hurtling the wands. Not a symbolically significant change, but a very noticeable one nonetheless.
Also changed was the 4 of swords, traditionally a tomb of a knight (I was taught he was a Templar) but now a man sitting in contemplation. Again, the meaning still comes across, but the layout is starkly different.The 4 cards I felt were the greatest change from the original RWS imagery are the 2 of wands, 5 of pentacles, 7 of cups, and most of all the 7 of swords.
The 2 of swords traditionally shows a figure looking out over a balcony with the orb of the world in his grasp, the Druidcraft shows an outlined figure on a hill. I realize there is probably a druidic symbolic explanation, some historical or mythological reference, but I'm unaware of it, and it is vastly different from the RWS version. The next departure is in the 5 of pentacles. This is the card that typically shows an impoverished couple, so wrapped up in their misery that they don't notice the warm glow of the church window they're passing. The Druidcraft shows a woman seemingly weeping into her crossed arms as she leans on a tree. She's missing the beauty of nature around her, but I'd hardly call her impoverished or miserable. The 7 of cups has some of the most prevalent historic symbolism of the entire RWS pack. Each cup in the original artwork contains an image relating to one of the prospective origins and deeper meanings of the tarot. I was taught it meant a student of the occult, with a plethora of knowledge before him, so much that he can be consumed by it. Other books departed from my mentors interpretation, saying in simply meant having ones head in the clouds, which is congruent with the Druidcraft image of the youth looking dreamily into the pool of water, similar to having his head in the clouds I suppose. While that meaning comes through, the fascinating historical meaning does not, leading this change to be the most disappointing to me personally. The last major change I noticed was the 7 of swords. This is shown as a mischievous youth making off with an armful of swords in the RWS deck, but is a Dumbledore-esque character writing solemnly at a desk in the Druidcraft. This is the biggest change of all the cards I've mentioned here, and I really can't see anything they have in common.
Does anyone have thoughts or insights on these changes? Do you still prefer RWS over this deck? have you even used both?
P.S- another subtle change I noticed was the green sky in the Hermit. I'm from Oklahoma, and growing up there I was privileged with this fun fact: the sky turns green when a tornado is coming. A storm is brewing. Do you think this was intentional? Personally I fnd it both beautiful and ominous.
I was taught using the RWS deck, and love it. But I was attracted to the richer and more detailed artistic styling of these cards. Looking through the deck, I was far from disappointed in the artwork, it was beyond ascetically pleasing, with a warmth and earthiness to it I adored. However, there were a few cards that just..well...strayed for me symbolically, some more than others.
The 8 of wands, for instance, traditionally depicts 4 wants flying through the air like a volley of arrows, and is the only pip card that does not depict a human figure. Of the cards that strayed from the original depictions, this is changed the least, with the addition of a figure hurtling the wands. Not a symbolically significant change, but a very noticeable one nonetheless.
Also changed was the 4 of swords, traditionally a tomb of a knight (I was taught he was a Templar) but now a man sitting in contemplation. Again, the meaning still comes across, but the layout is starkly different.The 4 cards I felt were the greatest change from the original RWS imagery are the 2 of wands, 5 of pentacles, 7 of cups, and most of all the 7 of swords.
The 2 of swords traditionally shows a figure looking out over a balcony with the orb of the world in his grasp, the Druidcraft shows an outlined figure on a hill. I realize there is probably a druidic symbolic explanation, some historical or mythological reference, but I'm unaware of it, and it is vastly different from the RWS version. The next departure is in the 5 of pentacles. This is the card that typically shows an impoverished couple, so wrapped up in their misery that they don't notice the warm glow of the church window they're passing. The Druidcraft shows a woman seemingly weeping into her crossed arms as she leans on a tree. She's missing the beauty of nature around her, but I'd hardly call her impoverished or miserable. The 7 of cups has some of the most prevalent historic symbolism of the entire RWS pack. Each cup in the original artwork contains an image relating to one of the prospective origins and deeper meanings of the tarot. I was taught it meant a student of the occult, with a plethora of knowledge before him, so much that he can be consumed by it. Other books departed from my mentors interpretation, saying in simply meant having ones head in the clouds, which is congruent with the Druidcraft image of the youth looking dreamily into the pool of water, similar to having his head in the clouds I suppose. While that meaning comes through, the fascinating historical meaning does not, leading this change to be the most disappointing to me personally. The last major change I noticed was the 7 of swords. This is shown as a mischievous youth making off with an armful of swords in the RWS deck, but is a Dumbledore-esque character writing solemnly at a desk in the Druidcraft. This is the biggest change of all the cards I've mentioned here, and I really can't see anything they have in common.
Does anyone have thoughts or insights on these changes? Do you still prefer RWS over this deck? have you even used both?
P.S- another subtle change I noticed was the green sky in the Hermit. I'm from Oklahoma, and growing up there I was privileged with this fun fact: the sky turns green when a tornado is coming. A storm is brewing. Do you think this was intentional? Personally I fnd it both beautiful and ominous.
