As an artist, Johnny Depp depicts captivating figures from his life, dreams and subconscious mind. Johnny Depp 2024 release, entitled Tarot, draws on tarot’s intriguing iconography. While referencing the ancient deck, the collection is imbued with his own characters and narratives, and imagined in a uniquely symbolic style.

‘The Emperor’ faces viewers as a quietly authoritative and powerful figure. Yet, while cloaked in traditional iconography, the eyeless character has been framed in a more mysterious manner, adding intrigue to this card-like composition.

‘The Emperor’ has perfectly rouged cheeks and defined lips. However, his pale visage is eyeless, taking on a mask-like quality; the stately costume is missing its sitter. As the artist has said, “he's not really there.” A metaphor for acting out roles, ‘The Emperor’ seems to stand for the many guises that we all wear.

Wearing a red gown and decorative lapel, an elaborately coiffed wig and a gold crown, ‘The Emperor’ appears in the style of a 17th century French monarch. This design was inspired by an artwork Depp created while filming the historical drama Jeanne du Barry in Versailles; playing the leading role of King Louis XV, he became inspired by images of distinguished rulers.

Within the wider Tarot series, Depp’s eyeless Emperor is placed next to ‘The Empress’, as if extolling the trustworthy, maternal presence of his mighty female counterpart.

With hand applied 24ct gold leaf, and silkscreen varnish this is a mixed media hand-signed limited-edition artwork on 640gsm paper with torn edges. Each artwork is signed by Johnny Depp and emboss stamped by hand with Johnny’s personal mark of authenticity, The Bunnyman.

This artwork can also be purchased as part of a framed set or portfolio of four.

Find out more about this collection here or alternatively shop more Johnny Depp art here.