The Empress – No.3 Tarot Series by Maurizio Conte (Original Drawing)

The Empress is not a queen. She is Creation itself.
No.3 from my ongoing Tarot series. Seated on her throne, she holds the scepter of dominion and the shield of the soul. Around her, life blooms in excess: the lion of raw instinct, the peacock of vanity and immortality, the dove of spirit, the tree of life growing from the abyss.
Every element is a symbol. The eagle on the shield for empire, the open book for hidden knowledge, the number III – creation, birth, abundance. She does not rule with power. She rules by making things grow.
Entirely hand-drawn in dotwork using Pigma Micron pens from 0.03 to 12. Many hours of stippling on paper. No digital shading, no shortcuts. Just millions of dots building a garden.
For me, The Empress is the counterbalance to the dark work I usually do. She is not macabre, she is fertile, overwhelming, sometimes too much. Beauty that consumes.
Original drawing for sale. One of a kind. The series continues.