The Chariot Tarot Card Meaning and Art Tarot Genoves Deck
Designation
About the Deck
Tarot Genoves Deck
A reproduction of an authentic Genovean Tarot exhibited at the Fournier Playing Card Museum.
Provenance
Genova, Italy. 1887.
Description
This is a most complicated and important symbol, which has been restored by Eliphas Levi. It represents a Conqueror crowned and bearing a sceptre, riding in a cubical chariot, surmounted by four columns and a canopy, and drawn by two horses, one of which looks straight forward, while the other turns his head towards him. (Two wheels are shown in the complete single-headed figure.) It represents Triumph, and Victory of Justice and Judgment.Meaning of The Chariot from the Tarot Genoves Deck
Upright
Triumph, Victory, Overcoming obstacles;
Reversed
Overthrown, Conquered by Obstacles at the last moment.
According to Many Schools of Thought
A. E. Waite's Secondary Meanings
The Chariot. This is represented in some extant codices as being drawn by two sphinxes, and the device is in consonance with the symbolism, but it must not be supposed that such was its original form; the variation was invented to support a particular historical hypothesis. In the eighteenth century white horses were yoked to the car. As regards its usual name, the lesser stands for the greater; it is really the King in his triumph, typifying, however, the victory which creates kingship as its natural consequence and not the vested royalty of the fourth card. M. Court de Gebelin said that it was Osiris Triumphing, the conquering sun in spring-time having vanquished the obstacles of winter. We know now that Osiris rising from the dead is not represented by such obvious symbolism. Other animals than horses have also been used to draw the currus triumphalis, as, for example, a lion and a leopard.
S. L. MacGregor Mathers's Divinatory Meanings
Upright
Triumph, Victory, Overcoming obstacles
Reversed
Overthrown, Conquered by Obstacles at the last moment.
Papus's Divinatory Meanings
Triumph. Providential Protection
