The Greek myth with Persephone and the pomegranates I found very interesting -I loved mythology when we had to learn it in our art studies-. In this story, they seem to be a pass between 2 worlds, but not between Earth and Celestial powers. They allow her to move between our world and the underworld. Since Pluto is the regent for both death AND sex, there is the link with the pomegranates claims to fertility. And yes, PW, pomegranates certainly look like the entrance to the womb, or maybe the ovaries full of eggs. Since the Empress is usually seen as THE fertility card, would you say those are roses or pomegranates depicted on her gown? In any case, this card has a lot of red and yellow in it.
The 9 of Pentacles was the only other card in which I could see red flowers/fruits printed on a yellow background, and I always associated this card with mastering skills and abilities through will power and perseverance, the Spirit/Mind controlling the Emotions/Body.
We are agreed that all cards depicting powerful folk in this deck show these two colors in abundance, being more in evidence in the following Majors: High Priest, Justice, Emperor, and also a little in the Tower, Magician and even Death -hardly any red here-. We can also see them in the following suit cards: Queen of Pentacles, King and Queen of Wands, the 10 of Pentacles and the 3 of Cups.
We had already connected the yellow crowns as transmitting divine powers to the rulers. The yellow backgrounds of some cards tend to transmit warmth, the idea of sunny days. I also remember yellow being a color used to help concentration and intellectual efforts. So... is it spirit or mind? PW says it is the Spirit controlling the mind, which in turn controls the emotions, which then control the body... Let's say it is the spirit.
Then the gray background in many Sword cards could stand for the gray matter of our brain :smt003, the blue waters would stand for emotions and the red for the body. I associate red with blood, earth, sex, material energies, material power, strength and creativity.
So, red and yellow would mean the creative and material power tempered by the spiritual strength of the individual holding that power. Unluckily, in many instances, this last leaves something to be desired :smt012
Finally, I was amazed at the amount of detail PW got out of the 9 of Swords. My, I had never thought to look at the carving on the bed! It does look like a fight to the death with fatal consequences for one of the contenders. Since I haven't come across this card as a herald of death, I would say it depicts fear of violence in the seeker, though only in some instances.
The blanket is covered with red roses -now, any mythological meaning for these specific flowers, apart from love and passion?- and astrological symbols: power, passion and knowledge. With these virtues at the person's feet, why so worried? Maybe because too much of either could turn a situation dangerous? Still, the person is dressed in white, so the initial intentions seemed to be good. Now it looks as if the remorse and fear are too much to bear.
And this is all I can glean from these cards and colors. What are your views on the matter? :)