Review by Lynn
After reading for nearly 30 years with various
Rider-Waite Smith decks, and experimenting with several
others, I wanted something new, stimulating, but not
completely untraditional. As an intuitive reader, I have a
great deal invested in the imprinting I've done on the
Rider-Waite-Smith cards over the years, but was looking for imagery
that would challenge and refresh my perceptions.
I spent many hours scanning decks and reading reviews, but
did not feel that "ah ha!" pull until I happened
across Place's website. I felt an immediate connection to
both his artistic style and his philosophy. The book he
co-wrote with Rosemary Guiley offers a wonderfully
accessible introduction to the history of alchemy, its
influence on philosophy, metaphysics, and scientific method
from ancient times to the present, and then draws
reasonable, non-dogmatic parallels between the structure of
the Tarot and the stages of alchemical process. This
leads to some dramatic re-interpretations of the imagery,
strange to the eye at first, yet deeply meaningful after
even a brief perusal of the companion text.
Like many recent artists, Place plays with the suits a bit. Cups
become archaic looking jars and alembics, Pentacles
become historic coins, and his Staffs burn rather than
sprout leaves, which reinforces their elemental value,
though it does take some getting used to. Swords remain
swords.
There are significant changes to some of the Major
cards, as well. Place's Hanged Man is a struggling
figure, rather than the more common beatific figure. Death
is depicted as a skeleton holding an arrow and
standing on a blackened vessel. It is a harsher image than
the RWS Death, and closer to the old Italian and
French decks, but carries the same modern significance.
The Star is perhaps the most potentially startling: it
shows a double tailed mermaid expressing milk and blood
(alchemical metaphors for mercury and sulphur, which in turn
are metaphors themselves) into the waves.
There is a
great deal of nudity in this deck, yet there is nothing
prurient about it. Nudity represents revealed truth. Some
figures are completely revealed, others partially, while
others, like the High Priestess or Fool, are bundled right
up to the chin, guarding their knowledge. Place's
classical style makes these figures of art, not sexuality.
There is a healthy amount of sensuality in certain
cards, such as the Empress or the Star, but it is in
keeping with the flow of energy and to my mind, both
appropriate and beneficial.
There is also a nice balance of
genders. Pages become Ladies, and while women are perhaps a
bit scarce and traditionally placed in the Minors,
they are well represented. Place has chosen to make the
Kings animals, however, something I have not seen
elsewhere. Cups becomes a whale; Swords an Eagle; Staffs a
Dragon; Coins a Lion. This is the the only element of the
deck which I found to be a significant distraction.
A
plus is the level of detail and activity in the Minor
cards. Like the RWS deck, every picture suggests a story
containing the various elements of its meanings. While some
find this iconography to be limiting, I consider them
windows onto a wide subconscious landscape. Unlike a
themed deck, in which something like a cat is jammed into
every card, Place's minor give pertient scenes,
incorporating only elements which further the depth of
meaning.
In the Major Arcana, Place develops a loose linear
story, in which the Emperor and Empress play their roles
in following cards--standing together as the Lovers,
joined in a double headed hermaphrodite on the Devil card
(one of the more innovative changes, again derived from
alchemical philosophy), ascending on Judgement Day, etc. He
has also toned down the more overt Christian
symbology. You can still see some if you look for them, but it is
perhaps less off putting for those who not drawn to these
elements.
Another plus is the interpretations offered in
the companion book. Many recent authors have smoothed
the rougher edges of Waite's attributes. Some of the
newer, feel good interpretations are downright bland.
While Place and Guiley have brought a modern, more
psychologically based tone, there is still a good healthy contrast
of light and shadow here.
I would recommend this
deck to any serious reader, but especially to those who
echew New Age pseudo mysticism, forced themes, or
kitsch-for-its-own-sake artsiness.
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