Sources for the Thoth Paintings

firemaiden

Sometimes I have come across art images in my travels across the wilds of google land, and have been struck by how these images had to have been the source inspiration for Frieda Harris work -- here are a few examples:

Lust:
I was struck again, while looking at XI (Lust) today, how much the beast here resembles the famous Chimera d'Arezzo, an Etruscan sculpture of the Chimera. I think if you do a Google Image search for the Chimera d'Arezzo, and find images of the piece from all angles, you will see what I mean. (She reversed the image)

I think the Thoth beast also has something from the famous Manticore illustration from "The History of Four-footed Beasts" (1607) by Edward Topsell:​

Hermit:
The three headed dog which appears on The Hermit also clearly inspired by a famous Greek vase depiction of Cerberes with Hekate (this the image is also reversed) Here is one link to the vase image I mean: Herakles and Kerberos (She also reversed this image)

Aso on the same card -- is a nearly unaltered replication of the Homunculus in sperm as drawn by N. Hartsoecker in 1695 --​

And perhaps the Knight of Disks is inspired by Dürer's famous "Knight, Death, and the Devil" engraving... but less so than I thought at first. (also reversed)

I hope this thread can be the place to explore these art sources. Please post any ideas reactions, or sources that you have found
 

Texas Tarot

I think these are all good insights. Lady Frieda Harris would be familiar with all of these things that you point out.

I never considered that the look of the "Lust beast" would have any other origin than Harris and Crowley's imagination of St. John of Patmos antagonist turned protagonist, but your link is pretty good visual case for it.

I like that you bring up the famous Dürer woodcut, Knight, Death and the Devil. I believe he has ANOTHER woodcut of a monk having a conversation with either Death or the Devil. I just woke up so I can find it in internet-land. I believe that representation of the monk had some kind of influence on later depictions of the Hermit in tarot, but not necessarily in the Thoth deck.

Correction after a couple of cups of coffee!
It is Hans Holbein that I'm thinking of.
 

firemaiden

Oh my! Don't you just LOVE Dürer!
 

firemaiden

I feel compelled to point out that the Queen of Wands is a Maenad. Compare her Thyrsus and leopard to those of the Maenad on this vase:

The Death of Pentheus - 480 BC
 
right foot hanged man I use Thoth Tarot, and ...