Thoth Tarot 1943

Lady Frieda Harris made this tarot card using paint, I imagine watercolor, and a very fine brush. I can imagine her, sitting with a cup of tea, making this, line by line, color by color. The surface is smooth, yet you can sense the many layers that build up the image: a lotus and a pair of fish, mirrored in the pair of cups below. The light that emanates from them, or the water perhaps, creates a sense of duplication and echoing. The imagery reminds me of Hilma af Klint. I wonder if she knew of her work? I am sure that, like many painters, she was looking at the work of artists from the past as well as her contemporaries to find a language for the mystical and unseen. It seems clear to me that artists are in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time, and inspiring each other. Each artwork becomes a part of a larger story about the human experience.