Exegesis THE EMPEROR (IlIl) Sentences 4–6
4 Arabic gum in water will be your medium
5 The paper will be stretched over a sycamore wooden board
6 A brush made of white rabbit hair to disperse the ink and pigments
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4 “Arabic gum in water will be your medium”
Arabic gum, resin of the acacia, was used by ancient Egyptians in mummification to preserve body and soul. Here, it transforms a simple technical instruction into a sacred and alchemical act. Drinking from the acacia in the first chapter becomes materialized: the gum binds pigments, coagulates vision into matter, and preserves the spiritual essence, making each watercolor an immortal vehicle of vision.
5 “The paper will be stretched over a sycamore wooden board”
The sycamore, sacred in many traditions, was particularly revered in ancient Egypt as a tree of protection, passage, and life. Its wood symbolized stability and the gateway between worlds; sycamore trees were often associated with the afterlife and nourishment of the soul. Stretching the paper over a wooden board—a centuries-old technique called “paper stretching”—prevents warping and ensures pigments are absorbed evenly. Symbolically, the rigid support and tension embody stability, authority, and the deliberate preparation of a field where the vision can manifest.
6 “A brush made of white rabbit hair to disperse the ink and pigments”
The idea of the rabbit appears in Alice in Wonderland: it marks the passage into the unconscious and the world of archetypes. The white rabbit-hair brush is a pure, neutral channel that disperses ink and pigments organically, like scattering seeds or lightning. It allows the vision to unfold freely, connecting the Emperor’s structure to the Empress’s energy of fertility.
