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VERSION 2.0 IN PROGRESS

Temporary, for editorial feedback only - please do not bookmark or download

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Two of Swords
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A woman sits on a wooden stool with two swords crossed across her chest. Behind her, a rocky inlet is illuminated by moonlight.

My Interpretation: A balancing act. Compromise - sometimes hard choices must be made, and indecision will only aggravate the situation. Choose the lesser of two evils, and work to minimise any damage that may be done. You have the ability to make the best of a bad situation.This card can also mean meeting a worthy adversary who will challenge you. Friendship may result once initial conflicts have been resolved. (Reversed: Indecisiveness, falsehood. Beware of those who seek conflict for its own sake).

Edit notes to self: Different to v1.0 card as I've added more symbolism to assist readers and made it far more similar to the Rider-Waite card. The main difference between the is the RW card is that the woman is not blindfolded. I've never been able to reconcile the RW blindfold with the meaning of this card. Besides, her eyes are too pretty to hide :^) Still to do - pretty happy with it.

Sources:

Base Pic: Fra Angelico, Italian painter, Florentine school (b. cca. 1400, Vicchio nell Mugello, d. 1455, Roma); The Annunciation late 1430s Fresco, 230 x 321 cm Convento di San Marco, Florence.

Sea and Islands: Conrad Witz, Swiss painter (b. cca 1400, Rottweil, d. cca. 1445, Basel); Saint Christopher c. 1435 Panel Öffentliche Kunstsammlung, Basel.

Sky and Moon: Dieric Bouts the Elder, Flemish painter (b. cca. 1415, Haarlem, d. 1475, Leuven); The Capture of Christ c. 1450? Oil on wood, 105 x 68 cm Alte Pinakothek, Munich.

Swords: Hans Memling, Flemish painter (b. cca.1440, Seligenstadt, d. 1494, Bruges); The Archangel Michael c. 1479 Oil on wood, 37 x 16 cm Wallace Collection, London.

Parchment Text Panel: Unknown Illuminators, England; The Aberdeen Bestiary (Aberdeen University Library MS 24), written and illuminated around 1200. Aberdeen University, Scotland.

Gilt Border: Conrad Witz, Swiss painter (b. cca 1400, Rottweil, d. cca. 1445, Basel); King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba 1435 Panel, 84 x 79 cm Staatliche Museen, Berlin.