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.

Traditionally associated with femininity, motherhood and authority, ‘The Empress’ carries multiple meanings in Depp’s deck of tarot-inspired artworks.

Based upon a painting Depp made for Vanessa Paradis, the mother of his two children, the French singer, model and actress later used this for the cover of her studio album ‘Divinidylle’. Now her timeless beauty has been translated into this vision of ‘The Empress’.

Bold, elegant and regal, this artwork presents a classical figure infused with contemporary flair. Gazing outward with sincere emerald eyes and porcelain-coloured skin, the main figure takes on the appearance of a Medieval princess or a Pre-Raphaelite model with long, flowing gold locks framed by the jewelled crown upon her head. Her refined features have been accentuated by the addition of a bold and calligraphic black line which shapes them.

However, her beauty is more than skin deep. Adorned with expressive marks, her crown appears tarnished, which takes on symbolic meaning, as Depp explains: “It looks like a crown that has weathered storms, it shows us a certain courage and strength of commitment. When you make a commitment to something you follow it through, no matter what. And that's kind of what her crown gives me... the Crown has been through a lot, she still shines”.

The artwork also echoes a similar tarot-inspired painting by the surrealist Salvador Dalí, who featured his wife Gala as The Empress. Crowned and statuesque, she wields power as his creative muse during the 1980s. Likewise, ‘The Empress’ appears as Depp’s muse, invoking the creation of this enchanting portrait.

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.