kwaw
The Catelin Geofroy 1557 is of interest for the history of the TdM. It is the firt deck with numbered major arcana and those that remain follow the TdM ordering. The hanged man differs from the Italian traitor image and is clearly modeled upon woodcuts of Jewish executions, and is probably the model for the hanged man in some later TdM decks [such as the Tarot Classic].
The Tower card has a devil behind a woman who is 'dancing' along with one hand in the air and the other lifting her skirt, out of which a bag is falling. Next to her is the head and hand of a figure with a fiddle. Behind them a building is burning. The fiddler possibly connects the burning building with Rome? {Referncing Nero who fiddled while Rome burnt?]
What is very peculiar about it is that on the back of the Popes hands are two concentric rings, like the 'Jewish ring' that Jews had to wear as a mark of identity and used in Christian art to identify any figure as a Jew. Are they Jewish rings on his hands, or is anyone aware of an alternative meaning?
The Geofroy major arcana can be found in Kaplan, p.132 Vol 1, and p.303 Vol2.
Kwaw
The Tower card has a devil behind a woman who is 'dancing' along with one hand in the air and the other lifting her skirt, out of which a bag is falling. Next to her is the head and hand of a figure with a fiddle. Behind them a building is burning. The fiddler possibly connects the burning building
What is very peculiar about it is that on the back of the Popes hands are two concentric rings, like the 'Jewish ring' that Jews had to wear as a mark of identity and used in Christian art to identify any figure as a Jew. Are they Jewish rings on his hands, or is anyone aware of an alternative meaning?
The Geofroy major arcana can be found in Kaplan, p.132 Vol 1, and p.303 Vol2.
Kwaw