The Hermit

“The Hermit” by Giorgio Laveri: Inner Light, Sculpted in Porcelain

With The Hermit, Giorgio Laveri deepens his artistic journey into the Major Arcana of the Marseille Tarot, shaping the archetype of introspection into the delicate strength of porcelain. This 32 x 18 cm glazed piece, designed to be either hung or displayed, offers a timeless and meditative vision of Arcana IX — an image of inner wisdom reinterpreted through contemporary ceramic artistry.

In tarot symbolism, The Hermit is the seeker, the wise figure who steps back from the world to illuminate it more clearly. Holding a lantern that lights his path and leaning on a staff — a metaphor for spiritual support — he moves slowly, deliberately, with gravity and grace. Giorgio Laveri preserves the essential composition of the traditional tarot image, yet his interpretation enhances the figure’s presence and mystery.

The figure, cloaked in a rich red robe with finely engraved folds, appears to exist in a suspended, contemplative moment. Laveri’s mastery of porcelain is evident in the texture and surface of the piece: smooth, reflective, and yet resonant with quiet intensity. The black outlines, delicately traced, lend weight and definition to every detail — from the furrows in the Hermit’s brow to the gesture of his hand carrying the light.

Color is used symbolically rather than decoratively. The red robe suggests deep experience and the passion of lived knowledge; the blue beneath it evokes reflection, inner silence, and serenity. The yellow of the lantern and staff represents the light of consciousness — a small, quiet flame that guides without overpowering.

Unlike cards that present external action or celestial intervention, The Hermit is about inner clarity. In Laveri’s hands, the figure becomes less of a mystic recluse and more of a spiritual archetype: someone who retreats not to escape, but to understand. The sculpture functions as a contemplative anchor — an artwork that watches over moments of stillness and transformation.

Placed in a personal sanctuary, reading room, or study, The Hermit becomes a visual mantra for those who value silence and self-inquiry. It speaks to collectors of tarot art, lovers of minimalist spiritual symbolism, and those who seek deeper meaning in design. In a gallery wall or altar-like setting, it serves both aesthetic and meditative purposes.

By rendering The Hermit in porcelain, Giorgio Laveri gives permanence to an image that speaks of time, solitude, and unseen light. It reminds us that illumination is often found not in grand gestures, but in the deliberate act of pausing. In a world of noise and speed, this sculpture offers quiet — and in that quiet, insight.