Three of Swords 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 Three of Swords card.
Side by side
Choose any two decks and read the pictures against each other.
Pamela Colman Smith, 1909
A red heart hangs in a grey sky, pierced through by three straight swords. Rain falls in long lines and heavy clouds fill the background. There is no figure in the picture, only the heart and the blades and the weather.
Lequart, Paris, 19th century
Two curved grey blades form an oval, joined at the sides by blue bands. An upright blue sword stands in the middle, point up, with a yellow grip and a red ribbon at its crossguard, between two leafy branches. Small green and red flowers sit in the corners. Numeral III at both sides.
Marseille number cards are read through their number and suit; the written meaning here gives the scene the Rider-Waite-Smith card adds.
Rider–Waite–Smith
Pamela Colman Smith, 1909
A red heart hangs in a grey sky, pierced through by three straight swords. Rain falls in long lines and heavy clouds fill the background. There is no figure in the picture, only the heart and the blades and the weather.
Tarot de Marseille
Lequart, Paris, 19th century
Two curved grey blades form an oval, joined at the sides by blue bands. An upright blue sword stands in the middle, point up, with a yellow grip and a red ribbon at its crossguard, between two leafy branches. Small green and red flowers sit in the corners. Numeral III at both sides.
Marseille number cards are read through their number and suit; the written meaning here gives the scene the Rider-Waite-Smith card adds.
Tarot de Viéville
Jacques Viéville, c. 1650
Two curved blades form an oval with crossed hilts at top and bottom, and a third straight sword stands upright at the centre. Two blue flowers on red stems and grey and yellow leaves grow on either side of it.
Viéville number cards show only their suit symbols; read them through number and suit, with the written meaning as a guide.
Sola Busca
c. 1491
A large red heart is pierced by three red swords, much like the familiar Rider-Waite-Smith image. Below hangs a curved laurel garland holding five round fruits, with red tassels and blue ribbons. Long red cords trail at the sides and the numeral 3 is at the right.
Soimoi
Mike Koz, 2025
A large red heart stands upright in a dark garden, pierced by three swords with black wrapped hilts, one straight down through the centre and two at angles, their points reaching the ground. Red leaves fall and scatter. Bamboo stands at left, a red torii at right, and lit skyscrapers rise in the background.