Sorry Etteilla, you are being replaced.
One of the Etteilla tradition’s many eccentricities is the inclusion of a male and a female significator within the trumps. These replaced the Tarot de Marseille’s Pope and Female Pope, respectively. And, if you haven’t guessed, they’re both titled ETTEILLA.
There are a number of compositions for these ETTEILLAs.1 I deviated from them all for something more Lenormand-like! Each ARLECCHINO is placed in profile to allow for easy directional reading, to one’s taste.
I tried to keep the same style of the outfits I’ve drawn for the other cards so far (and this handsome couple certainly bears a passing resemblance to our Lovers). But, I think it is fun to note, this is the first time I’ve used a random pattern for the motley. It makes me think I should learn more about graph theory and map coloring.
These cards have no divinatory meanings of their own.2 They are just there to stand in for the querent. So enjoy!
To complete the tarocchino set, I will also make a Pope and Lady-Pope – stay tuned for next time!
Notes
1 In some cases, including Etteilla I and the Grand jeu de l’oracle des dames, they are integrated into the Days of Creation sequence. The man gets to play God, while the woman is treacherous Eve – of course. In others like Jeu de la princesse they are merely people.
2 There are some “meanings” occasionally given, but they’re mostly a list of compliments to the person in question and thus not particularly inspiring.
One response to “Tarocchino Arlecchino: The Significators”
[…] two popes are removed from the Etteilla trumps (replaced with the Significators). Likewise, they do not appear in the modern Bolognese cards, transformed along with the Emperor […]