Four Cardinal Virtues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice as they appear in a nineteenth century card deck, the Etteilla.

Strength is a little unusual as it doesn’t show the woman holding open the jaws of the beast (which looks suspiciously like a beast-like man). The angel of Temperance has her feet on a golden sphere and a triangular stone, while the sun radiates upon her forehead, she stands beside a cliff. Prudence is represented in typical style, with snake and caduceus, but lacking her mirror. Justice’s scales balance the same triangular stone and a golden sphere. Nice checker-board floor for strength and Justice.