4 – The Emperor
Traditionally, the Emperor is seated on a throne, holding a scepter and orb, traditional Christian symbols of divine power. He is often shown wearing armor, suggesting that his power is backed by military force.
I reject the concept that a monarch’s power is bestowed by God. I also find it extremely troubling that throughout history we have allowed millions of lives to be lost through the decisions of individual men, and that we continue to wage war based on aggression rather than defense. For those reasons I could not update this card while still accepting the baggage that came with it.
In my interpretation of this card, the Emperor sits on an ancient throne carved from stone to suggest that there is little comfort in the trappings of monarchy. I modeled this on the Lansdowne Throne of Apollo, a Roman marble sculpture not intended to be sat on. It symbolized to me the inherent incompatibility between the concept of divine power and the reality of human nature.
The serpent carved into the throne is the mate of the serpent that appears on the mirror of the Empress, but in this card, it is behind the Emperor. He does not reckon with its power when he regards himself, as the Empress does. He is not reminded, when he looks at himself, that the power he wields is corrupting.
I chose to dress my Emperor in contemporary casual clothing for the same reason I removed any signs of royal dress from my Empress. I wanted to show my Emperor as a man rather than a symbol. He is alone, isolated among the weed-choked ruins of an ancient edifice. He maintains his claim to power long after the system that supported it has crumbled. He surveys a wasteland, taking comfort in his wine and his memories.
The Emperor is alone. He does not rule beside the Empress, but instead inhabits a separate world. The Emperor symbolizes strength in authority backed by violence. But genuine authority does not depend upon intimidation, spectacle, or bullying. It emerges through competence, consistency, responsibility, and the willingness to bear burdens others cannot or will not carry. It is leadership, not coercion.
By setting aside the legitimacy of the Emperor’s power and looking instead at the results of power used without the balance of the Empress’s compassion, the true meaning of this card emerges. The power of the Emperor is his ability to unite under stable leadership and to put stewardship ahead of personal glory. His meditative pose suggests he is coming to terms with that realization. In his solitude, like the Empress, he is gaining wisdom and clarity.
This enlightened Emperor represents experience applied with self-discipline. He is the part of ourselves that accepts responsibility for creating structure and maintaining it over time. He accepts the sacred responsibility that comes with having power over other lives. He understands that freedom without order becomes chaos, but that force of will without wisdom becomes tyranny.
I based the throne on the Landsdowne Throne, a Roman sculpture from the 1st Century meant to represent the throne of Apollo. I liked it both because of its powerful association and because it had exactly the feel that I wanted for my card. I had to completely remake it in 3D to widen it and lower the seat in order for the decorative back to show. I also had to add arms to accommodate the pose I wanted and restore the damaged areas.
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