Legendary Heroes of History & Myth: Merlin
For the sixth card in my Legendary Heroes of History & Myth series, we're heading into one of the most famous legends of all time—the world of King Arthur and Camelot.
And you can't really tell the story of Arthurian legend without Merlin.
Merlin has been portrayed in countless ways over the centuries, but he's almost always the mysterious figure behind the scenes—the wise wizard who seems to know more than everyone else in the room.
In the legends, Merlin serves as King Arthur's mentor and advisor, helping guide Arthur toward his destiny and playing an important role in the story of Camelot.
And of course, Merlin isn't exactly your ordinary advisor.
He's associated with prophecy, magic, shapeshifting, and a whole collection of supernatural abilities. Depending on which version of the legend you're reading, his origins can be just as mysterious as his powers.
That's probably part of the reason the character has remained so popular for so long.
There's something about the idea of a mysterious old wizard who seems to know how everything is going to turn out—even when everyone else is still trying to figure it out.
For this card, I wanted Merlin to look like someone who had spent a very long time studying things that ordinary people probably shouldn't know too much about.
The staff, the hat, the long beard and the weathered face are all familiar elements, but I wanted the overall image to have a little more energy and mystery to it.
That's one of the fun parts of working on this series. With historical figures, there's at least some record of who they were. With legendary characters like Merlin, there's a lot more room for imagination.
Whether Merlin was ever based on a real person is another interesting question. The character appears to have developed from several different traditions and legendary figures over time, eventually becoming the Merlin we recognize today.
Either way, he's become one of the most recognizable wizards in popular culture.
If you'd like to take a closer look at the card, click on either image in this post. I've linked the images directly to the eBay listing.
This is #6 in the Legendary Heroes of History & Myth series.
We've gone from Hypatia to Annie Oakley, Artemis, Wu Zetian, Hatshepsut, and now Merlin. History, mythology, and legend are all fair game in this series.
And there's still a lot more to come.
— Copper State Cards