Symbolism & Imagery:
The King of Swords is seated on a stone throne with butterflies imagery, clothed in neutral robes, apart from his golden crown and red robe. He is facing the reader, with his eyes set upon whoever is watching him.
A double-edged sword is in his right hand, the tip facing the heavens above, as for the butterflies on his stone throne and two birds in the background – they symbolize transformation and intellectual beauty.
His throne is made of stone, for that is the representation of his will and mindset; despite being of the Air quality, the King of Swords can be unapologetic, harsh, and hard to convince otherwise. The double-edged sword, as well as the grey clouds in the background, are the symbol for the element of air and sharpness of both mind and tongue.
His yellow crown is another representation of Air and East direction. He is the governor of thought and thinking processes. The red tunic below the crown and grey cloak symbolizes his quick judgment and willingness to use his sword, not just wield it. That is the hot temperament in his Air quality.
His grey cloak and sky-blue matching robe are symbols of his ageless wisdom and eons of experience. His feet on the sporadically green ground represent that despite being “up in the clouds,” he’s still very grounded and wise in his observations and decisions.
Small trees in the background give perspective to the king’s actual size – he’s larger than life, that is, the expansive quality of air, although humans can’t see it.