King of Cups in 5 decks
The same card as 5 decks draw it, five and a half centuries apart. What stays the same is the card’s core; what changes is where a reading can find something new. The meanings are written for the Rider–Waite–Smith picture; the descriptions here are of each deck’s own. Not in Visconti-Sforza or Oswald Wirth, which have no King of Cups card.
Side by side
Choose any two decks and read the pictures against each other.
Pamela Colman Smith, 1909
A crowned king sits on a throne that floats on a choppy grey sea, holding a cup in one hand and a short sceptre in the other. A fish-shaped amulet hangs at his neck; a ship sails on one side and a dolphin leaps on the other. The water heaves around him but he sits perfectly still.
Lequart, Paris, 19th century
A bearded king in a broad yellow and red hat circled by a crown sits with a yellow cup held at his side. He wears a buttoned blue tunic with a red sash, a yellow mantle edge, yellow hose and green shoes, on a red seat over a yellow floor. Titled ROY DE COUPE.
Rider–Waite–Smith
Pamela Colman Smith, 1909
A crowned king sits on a throne that floats on a choppy grey sea, holding a cup in one hand and a short sceptre in the other. A fish-shaped amulet hangs at his neck; a ship sails on one side and a dolphin leaps on the other. The water heaves around him but he sits perfectly still.
Tarot de Marseille
Lequart, Paris, 19th century
A bearded king in a broad yellow and red hat circled by a crown sits with a yellow cup held at his side. He wears a buttoned blue tunic with a red sash, a yellow mantle edge, yellow hose and green shoes, on a red seat over a yellow floor. Titled ROY DE COUPE.
Tarot de Viéville
Jacques Viéville, c. 1650
A bearded king wearing a crown with upturned red brims sits on a carved throne, knees apart. He holds a tall covered cup in his left hand and rests his right on his thigh, with yellow sacks at his feet and a letter R in each lower corner.
Sola Busca
c. 1491
A crowned young man in a red tunic and red boots sits on a purple throne under an arched canopy hung with balls, a dark blue shield beside him. A lidded vessel stands in front, and a small bird perches on a slender tree at the right. Lettering reads LVCIO CECILIO A R in three lines, with 14 below.
Soimoi
Mike Koz, 2025
An older man with grey hair in a topknot and a short beard sits on a rock in a dark blue kimono, holding a small bowl from which a glowing turquoise wisp curls upward. His other hand rests on a short wooden staff across his knee. A grey heron stands facing him, with bamboo and pine at the sides, sharp mountain peaks behind and red maple leaves on the ground.