1867 Chromolithograph Broadside of George Washington as a Freemason

This is an impressive 1867 chromolithograph broadside celebrating George Washington as a Freemason. The theme was popular in the mid-19th century when many of the most important and powerful Americans were themselves freemasons. Nonetheless, this is perhaps the most iconic image of Washington in that role.

A Closer Look

Washington, in a Masonic apron, takes center place. He stands in a grandiose neoclassical hall. To Washington's left and right are allegorical scenes representing Masonic ideology. In the upper corners are illustrations of the Marquis de Lafayette and Andrew Jackson, also influential American masons. At the bottom is a coffin, presumably representing Washington's grave, with patriotic poetry to either side.

Washington the Mason

Washington joined Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 in 1753 at the age of twenty - one year before he took his first military commission. He was following in a tradition of American Freemasonry that dated to 1731, when the first American lodge was founded. Freemasonry was embraced by the elite of early American society - among them Washington, Adams, and Franklin. Its secretive rituals were intended to develop religious piety, foster moral integrity, and encourage charity - ideal traits for the 18th century leader. For Washington, joining the Masons was a moral and social duty.

Publication History and Census

This lithograph was printed in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Hines Strobridge in 1867. We are aware of at least one subsequent printing in 1870. We are aware of several examples at the Library of Congress, as well as at the Boston Athenaeum, Williams Collage, and the American Antiquarian Society. Examples are rare on the market.