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VERSION 2.0 IN PROGRESS

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

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Five of Swords
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A man stands holding three swords. Two more lie at his feet having been discarded by fleeing opponents. He looks saddened, as though it was a hollow victory. At his side stands a large white attack dog.

My Interpretation: An unfair victory is as hollow as defeat. A failure or win against an unmatched opponent has left you demoralised. Trickery, manipulation and unfair tactics have been used either against or by you, but you must accept the outcome and move on. (Reversed: gossip, weakness, humiliation).

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 this and the RW card is that I've added an attack dog to symbolise that the victor had an advantage over his opponents. Also, the victor in mine looks disappointed or at least impassive rather than smiling, as the RW expression didn't seem quite appropriate to me - I guess the RW victor is meant to look smug? Still to do: pretty happy with it.

Sources:

Base Pic: Benozzo Gozzoli, Italian painter, Florentine school (b. cca. 1420, Firenze, d. 1497, Pistoia); Procession of the Magi, Procession of the Oldest King (moved section, backfill wall) 1459-60 Fresco Chapel, Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Florence.

Landscape: Giovanni Bellini, Italian painter, Venetian school (b. cca. 1426, Venezia, d. 1516, Venezia); Pesaro Altarpiece (predella) 1471-74 Oil on wood, 40 x 36 cm Musei Civici, Pesaro.

Red Cap Man With Face in Hands: Piero della Francesca, Italian painter (b. 1416, Borgo San Sepolcro, d. 1492, Borgo San Sepolcro); Resurrection 1463-65 Mural in fresco and tempera, 225 x 200 cm Pinacoteca Comunale, Sansepolcro.

Helmet Man Running Away: Hans Memling, Flemish painter (b. cca.1440, Seligenstadt, d. 1494, Bruges); St Ursula Shrine: Martyrdom (scene 6) 1489 Oil on panel, 35 x 25.3 cm Memlingmuseum, Sint-Janshospitaal, Bruges.

Great Dane: Andrea Mantegna, Italian painter (b. 1431, Isola di Cartura, d. 1506, Mantova); Suite of Cardinal Francesco 1471-74 Fresco Camera degli Sposi, Ducal Palace, Mantua.

Sword: 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.