Part of the Tarot Garden by Niki de Saint Phalle, Tuscany, Italy
The Tarot Garden (Giardino Dei Tarocchi) is an exploration of the human condition whose medium is mosaic on a monumental scale. These almost impossibly brightly coloured combinations of buildings and sculpture reflect the metaphysical qualities represented by the 22 main tarot cards (the major arcana). They're not concerned with the fortune-telling uses of the cards, rather the elements of life's experience, personality and self-knowledge they refer to. Work on the garden began in 1979 and the main part of the work was carried out in the 1980s; it was officially opened to the public in May 1998. During construction Niki de Saint Phalle lived in the sphinx-like Empress, a mirror-glassed cavern with kitchen, bedroom and bathroom leading off.
The Emperor, card no. 4.
The Emperor is the card of masculine power, for good or for bad. The Emperor is a symbol of organization and aggression. He has brought us science and medicine but also weapons and war. He represents the Patriarch or male protector. He also desires to control and conquer.
Niki de Saint Phalle
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