In one section of part 1 of "The Waste Land", Eliot talks about different tarot cards, including "The Lady of the Rocks". While this isn't a common card to attain, it references to one of Leonardo Da Vinci's more popular works, "Belladonna of the Rocks". The painting depicts the Virgin Mary (Belladonna), Jesus, and John the Baptist. The concept of baptism can also be related to the card mention before, the "Drowned Phoenician Sailor". Drowning was often seen as a way of "washing
away morality" and leaving the past behind.
1 comment:
That’s a beautiful painting which is one of the seemingly millions of references in the waste land. I feel like there should be a supplementary book with every painting or a brief summary/excerpt from every piece of literature referenced.
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