Seven of Cups 1751

Claude Burdel crafted this Seven of Cups playing card sometime in the 18th century. Seven ornate chalices line the card, symbols that tap into a deep well of cultural memory. The cup, or chalice, is an ancient symbol, a vessel that carries not only water or wine, but also emotions, secrets, and potential. Think of the Holy Grail, a repository of divine power, or the witch’s cauldron bubbling with transformation. Here, these cups sprout from curling vegetal fronds, suggesting growth and possibility, yet there is something unsettling in their symmetry, a sense of illusion or perhaps too many choices. Like the alchemist seeking the elixir of life, we are drawn to these symbols, hoping they will reveal hidden truths. But as we delve deeper, we realize that the power of the symbol lies not in its fixed meaning, but in its ability to reflect our own desires and anxieties.