Role of the Marseilles Bateleur in an alchemical tarot perspective

Role of the Marseilles Bataleur in an alchemical tarot perspective

In the RWS and various other decks, the Magician is unambiguously a ceremonial magician. In the context of the Marseilles deck, the Bataleur is interpreted by various Marseilles commentators (e.g., Sédillot) in that same way. But iconographically the Marseilles Bataleur can be seen as a conjurer, illusionist, entertainer. If we take this more mundane sense of the Bataleur, what meaning does the Bataleur card have in the reader's journey through the cards of the Marseilles major arcana? I guess it depends on how we see the message of the cards as a whole, eh?

Now, let's suppose that, for meditative reasons, one wishes to view the tarot and its major arcana from the standpoint of spiritual alchemy culminating in the Great Work of the World card. [In a sense, I see alchemical symbolism in the various cards of the Marseilles major arcana, although others are free to disagree.] However, in an alchemical view of the tarot, I don't see that this necessarily requires the Bataleur to be a ceremonial magician. Or does it require him to be a ceremonial magician? For instance, can we see the Bataleur as an conjurer by vocation, alchemist by avocation? It seems that some of the commentators adopted the ceremonial magician outlook on the Bataleur, even on an alchemical view, so as to illustrate the Emerald Tablet's principle 'as above, so below' and to illustrate working with the four elements. But is looking on the Bataleur as ceremonial magician essential for an alchemical view of the tarot? Were the alchemists also ceremonial magicians?

Thanks for any replies.

Here's a site which partly answers the question :
La structure alchimique du tarot

The article says that Oswald Wirth considered the BatEleur to be the Operator, the Alchemist himself, as you suggested. But the author of this article also amuses himself thinking that the usual sense of "charlatan" which accompanies the word "Bateleur" puts us on guard against the charlatanism of achemists.

(I can do more of a précis of the article later tonight, if no one else gets to it first.)

A number of years ago, I tried to see how each of the cards, whether in sequence or not, could be understood from an alchemical perspective.

Personally, I do think that it is quite easily possible to view the Bateleur as Alchemist - though as depicted it appears otherwise.

In fact, there are some early illustrations (in woodcuts and, if I recall, hand-illuminated) which clearly depict an Alchemist in ways which, to a Taroteer's eye, resembles the Bateleur: a person sitting or standing at a table upon which are the tools of the trade.

Ceremonial magic and alchemy are also, it may be worth noting, distinct.

In essence, the alchemist, as usually depicted working with the elements, is basically working with chemical apparatus. When working spiritual alchemy, the work involves working with, amongst other things, depictions of the integration taking place within the individual, usually through metaphor of sexual union of King and Queen, and the transmuation into Mercurial hermaphrodyte.

By contrast, the ceremonial magician invokes the Divine, then evokes the being who is to do his (or her - but traditionally, his) bidding... quite a different style of working. Of course, an individual alchemist may also be ceremonial magician, but the two remain generally distinct impulses and ways of working.

As Marseille rendition, there is that wonderful ambiguity in that the depiction may be transformed in imagination in either of those two directions... without thereby altering the imagery.

jmd said:

By contrast, the ceremonial magician invokes the Divine, then evokes the being who is to do his (or her - but traditionally, his) bidding... quite a different style of working. Of course, an individual alchemist may also be ceremonial magician, but the two remain generally distinct impulses and ways of working.

As Marseille rendition, there is that wonderful ambiguity in that the depiction may be transformed in imagination in either of those two directions... without thereby altering the imagery.

Click to expand...

I was going to point this out, then I read this section of jmd's post.

There is a Grand calling of the Divine, which I feel the Ceremonial Magician/Alchemist refers to. There is a Dignity and a Holiness that some cards represent.... This is an important part of our Spiritual Journey.... Many of us even find ourselves in a Sacred Circle with a 'Bataleur' Drawing Down the Moon! It is a'magical' part of a journey that bespeaks of the Unknown in a dancy kind of delightful and knock your socks off kind of way!!!

Like a crystal, I guess it just matters how the light is hitting it that determines what we see.........

I’ve recently re-read a book called Les Demeures Philosophales, or The Dwellings of the Philosophers, by a mysterious author called Fulcanelli. In the French preface to the second edition, his famous disciple, Eugenie Canseliet, makes a series of considerations about the French language and Alchemy; I will be translating the Portuguese edition, so forgive me for any imprecision.

Canseliet begins to say that the French word “truc” (trick) is phonetically similar to the word “trux”, meaning residue, sediment or deposit; this residue symbolizes a very important component of the alchemical work, better yet, of the Secret Fire of alchemists. This component would be a salt, probably potassium carbonate (I am not sure if this is the proper translation). This salt is theoretically essential to the work of calcination, the first of seven major alchemical operations, consisting in the purification of matter through corrosion (in spiritual terms, this would correspond to endure suffering, the so-called “dark night of the soul). According to a French linguist called J. Espagnolle, the word “truc” derives from a Greek term translatable as “trukô”. But this very term signifies, in its origin, the application of abrasion or corrosion on a surface. The relation, or word play, that Canseliet establishes among those two words, “trick” and “deposit” (“truc” and “trux”), is particularly interesting, since he considers the calcination of matter to be the real “alchemical trick” of the Philosopher’s Work.

Well, Canseliet makes no remark about Le Bateleur. I find this very interesting, however.

smleite said:

I’ve recently re-read a book called Les Demeures Philosophales, or The Dwellings of the Philosophers, by a mysterious author called Fulcanelli. ...

This salt is theoretically essential to the work of calcination, the first of seven major alchemical operations, consisting in the purification of matter through corrosion (in spiritual terms, this would correspond to endure suffering, the so-called “dark night of the soul ... The relation, or word play, that Canseliet establishes among those two words, “trick” and “deposit” (“truc” and “trux”), is particularly interesting, since he considers the calcination of matter to be the real “alchemical trick” of the Philosopher’s Work.

Click to expand...

Oh, I like this alot, smleite..... thank you. WE are the Bateleur, of course, selecting our own soulish alchelmical work.... We determine what it is we will deal with within our souls, what emotional changes we are willing to face, what core beliefs we are willing to confront and change, what behaviors we now hold and are responsible for, how we will integrate our Truth and our reality......

What we produce, of course, affects the whole Universe, eventually..... But, thank Goodness that we have the ability to change and grow, to become better people/beings; thank Goodness we have the power of Choice..... Personal alchemy is a Gift.

I like the image of calcification. I am a Rock Hound..... I look at my piece of Dolomite and I see the wonder of stoney change.... that deepseated change of our souls..... I see where I have 'gone deep' to transform old wounds into something supportive, something that says YES!! to me and to breath!!!

What other alchemical processes can you tell us about?

I think that what is really interesting about the identification of Le Bateleur with this first step of the alchemical process, calcination, is that he is put in the place of the rough primordial matter, full of potential but totally unaccomplished, and facing the absolute necessity of enduring a path of suffering – the already mentioned “dark night of the soul”. To say that Le Bateleur is all about potential, and represents “the absolute beginner”, is easy; but I must admit I hadn’t yet seen him as the soul in face of such a hard and threatening experience as this dark night is supposed to be. This is a subject I would LOVE to see discussed here. This step into complete solitude, inner pain, alienation, inadequacy, separation and total lack of orientation.

Skytwig, I don’t think “calcification” is the same as “calcination”, if that was what you meant – probably it wasn’t. But I loved your metaphor about the inner chage in our souls - the wonder of stony change!!

I think must be say I feel that the whole sequence of LE MAT + the rest 21 cards of Tarot of Marseilles talks about an Alchemical Work inside Us and on the Universe (As the body of God) at Once I mean at the same time.
Both are returning to the One Spirit,the Central Fire.
But no less is the work do by LE BATELEVR than for example the card XIIII after XIII work and XVII after XVI Rubedo stage of the Opus Alchemicum.
For me the first mixing looking for harmonize our duality and XVII returning the energy transmutated to the common source of the Water of Life.
The Soul,our Soul is the agent who link Spirit and Matter and the purpose for me is become Matter more conscious.
So the whole Universe is returning to the Divine Intelligence who created it.
But which Matter?.
The matter of our body,the matter of our emotions and the matter of our thoughts.All are just only matter and that s why we can reach yet the Divine.
They are the future body of the Soul when it could be ready to be fill with the fire of the Spirit.
It s stage is impossible before this work is done,because our matter (physic,emotional and mental) will be surely disintegrated by the electricity (I mean literally) of the Spirit.
So that s for me the patience and gradual work of ours Soul.
Here I think we have a connection with XII card and the topic of Gravitation.
After many too many distillations of our inner matter,our body matter become more and more light in a very real sense so not tied to the Earth.
That s drives us to levitation.
As H. P. Blavatsky said " Spirit is Matter in its lowest stage and Matter is Spirit in its highest ".
That s for me the Alchemic Work in Us and in the Universe at Once.
The encounter between Matter and Spirit with the Soul (Ours or the Anima Mundi on a macrocosmic level) as the Alchemist agent,ends in Conscience as a result.
Now I think on a link between VIII and VIIII.
The first with her work of weigh our matter and determine if we are ready so able,for meet VIIII as an intercessory (and teacher also) with our Soul.
If the Alchemic work is well done then we will reach XII card.

Eugim