Rosanne
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/visconti-sforza/
In looking at this distinctive card we call the Fool (they were not named) I noticed that it seemed that two things were predominate. The club and the feathers in the Fool's hair.
I was wondering if the feathers might indicate age of the cards from a particular point of view.
The Rooster ( a black one) was the symbol of the Florentine army when they captured Rome under the famous soldier Malatesta in 1410.
In Florence the Pope Martin V came to stay in 1419 as he had not yet regained Rome; Rome was held by Francesco Sforza for Queen Johanna 11 of Naples at the time. In 1421 Filippo Visconti had reconquered most of Lombardy and when he took Flori, the Florentines and him went to war. It did not go well for Florence and Florentine credit was badly shaken and many firms went Bankrupt (Florence was a Merchant Banking city) Florence named Florentia which meant 'Flourishing' by the Romans, was not flourishing right then- it was in one sense bankrupt. Then The Florentines signed a pact with Venice and they got the upper hand over Milan. The four States of Milan, Venic, Florence and Naples fought each other until finally Peace was wrought in the The Peace of Lodi agreement in 1454.
So it seems to me if the Fool is a symbol of Florence bankrupt- it would have to be created before 1433. So aside from a marriage what might it represent?
Could it be another earlier marriage? Like his own to Maria of Savoy?A sarcastic depiction of Florence bankrupt would be understandable then......maybe... Mars (the ancient god of Florence) in rags with the feathers of the Army in his hair.
~Rosanne
In looking at this distinctive card we call the Fool (they were not named) I noticed that it seemed that two things were predominate. The club and the feathers in the Fool's hair.
I was wondering if the feathers might indicate age of the cards from a particular point of view.
The Rooster ( a black one) was the symbol of the Florentine army when they captured Rome under the famous soldier Malatesta in 1410.
In Florence the Pope Martin V came to stay in 1419 as he had not yet regained Rome; Rome was held by Francesco Sforza for Queen Johanna 11 of Naples at the time. In 1421 Filippo Visconti had reconquered most of Lombardy and when he took Flori, the Florentines and him went to war. It did not go well for Florence and Florentine credit was badly shaken and many firms went Bankrupt (Florence was a Merchant Banking city) Florence named Florentia which meant 'Flourishing' by the Romans, was not flourishing right then- it was in one sense bankrupt. Then The Florentines signed a pact with Venice and they got the upper hand over Milan. The four States of Milan, Venic, Florence and Naples fought each other until finally Peace was wrought in the The Peace of Lodi agreement in 1454.
So it seems to me if the Fool is a symbol of Florence bankrupt- it would have to be created before 1433. So aside from a marriage what might it represent?
Could it be another earlier marriage? Like his own to Maria of Savoy?A sarcastic depiction of Florence bankrupt would be understandable then......maybe... Mars (the ancient god of Florence) in rags with the feathers of the Army in his hair.
~Rosanne