Symbolism & Imagery:
The Emperor is the strong father figure in the Tarot deck. While this imagery description is based on the Rider Waite card deck, this archetype is prevalent throughout all decks. In the Rider Waite, we see the Emperor perched on a stone throne. The throne itself is impressively decorated with four (the tarot card’s number) ram heads (indicative of the Aries sign). The emperor is holding an Ankh, the ancient symbol of eternal life, in his right hand while his left hand is clutching an orb that shows his ruling over the world.
As far as his clothing goes, this too adds to his image as the Aries Emperor in a red robe. The color red is always associated with passion, energy, and power. But that’s not where the symbology of his clothing ends- he wears a suit of armour underneath the robe, indicating he is always prepared and protected in the event of trouble.
The suit of armor is also understood to be indicative of his lack of emotional response. Instead, The Emperor uses logic and reason to govern his world and the understanding thereof. His head is crowned with a golden crown, just in case you forget that he is, indeed, the Emperor. He has a long white beard, which we all know is a symbol of either wizardry or wisdom (in some cases, both). But in the case of The Emperor, his energy is wiser and less wizard (we’ll get to the wizardry with the Hermit and the Magician).
All in all, the Emperor is depicted as a strong authority figure that will always be heard, demands respect, and will give you wise counsel (if you yourself are wise enough to listen to it).
Behind the Emperor and his throne, there is a tall mountain range that fills the background. Like we see in many of the cards, these mountains symbolize solidity. In this case, we can also see the mountain range as something that backs up the emperor and gives us the sense that the emperor’s energy is standing on solid ground.
But with all these masculine elements, we also see a flowing river gently moving below the peaks. This river shows us that even though the Emperor protects his emotions, there is a softer side beneath the tough exterior (this is helpful when drawing The Emperor card as a person).