Description
A cake trimmed with rose-water icing, marzipan and real roses, is graced by three dancing maidens. Hiding under the cake plate, amidst the fallen petals, is a frog prince.
Symbolism
While the three maidens salute the three graces, they are different colors and facing different ways to suggest the three phases of the mooon. On the cake plate one large rose corresponds to each maiden: the red rose in particular is the passion of the full moon, and the white rose purity of the black moon (spirit so pure it is unobscured by light). The blue rose, however, is purely imaginary, and represents the deepest inner recesses of a woman’s heart, which will unfold only to one capable of navigating the fiery inner realms without getting burned... a true magician.
Such a magician is represented by the frog. In mythology the frog is associated with the Hecate, with resurrection, transformation, and the astral body.
Card Meaning
Crowley calls this card Abundance, the "fulfillment of the Will of Love in abounding joy.. the spiritual basis of fertility". This matches well with the RWS picture of 3 graces dancing, glasses raised in time of harvest. "The Three of Cups indicates joy, celebration, sharing of the wonder in life" writes Rachel Pollack of the RWS card in 78DW; However Crowley gives the card much richer interpretive possibilities, Citing the influence of Mercury in this card, he reminds us that Mercury was the messenger of the Gods to the underworld. The Thoth 3 of cups depicts three pomengranates; Crowley calls this the card of Persephone, and goes on to remind us the pomegranate is the fruit which Pluto/Hades used to magically bind her to the underworld.
It is precicely this link to the underworld of Hades, and to Mercury, which inpired me to put the frog prince under the cake. The Frog is all at once the emblem of the King of the Underworld, the link between worlds, and the love interest, suggesting a worldly joy rooted deeply in spirit.
Harvest, abundance, celebration, sharing, deep communication from the heart.
Artistic Media
Original painting in Watercolor pencils and gouache, overlaid with several differently hued negatives of itself in photoshop, blended with creative erasing.
Artist's Bio
Firemaiden, 42 is an aspiring opera singer and lives in Berlin.
Go back to the project index, read the traditional card meaning, or get a free automated reading.
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