FREEMASONS MASONIC President GEORGE WASHINGTON AS MASON POSTER Reproduction PRINT 1870 - from Hibiscus Express FREEMASONS MASONIC GEORGE WASHINGTON AS MASON POSTER PRINT 1870 - High quality reproduction print of an 1870 lithograph that may very well be the most important American Masonic artwork in history. Washington As Master Mason shows U. S. President George Washington presiding over a meeting of the Lodge of the Alexandria, Virginia Masonic Lodge. This meeting prepared the lodge to lay the cornerstone for the United States Capitol on September 18, 1793. President Washington wears the full regalia of his Master Mason degree including the famous Masonic apron made for him by Marchioness de Lafayette, the wife of Marquis de Lafayette, also a Mason. The apron, one of two given by the Marchioness, still exists. President Washington holds a gavel in his right hand. He stands before a stand holding an open Bible with a square and compass on it. This is a great portrait of Washington. Though done some 80 years after his death, he conveys an air of confidence. With the perspective of the bookstand, we gain some sense of his stature (he was at least 6 2tall for that time). The portrait also correctly has the evidence of a scar on his left cheekthe result of surgery when he was a young man. TITLE: WASHINGTON AS MASTER MASON, Presiding over a meeting of the LODGE at ALEXANDRIA, VA. (of which he was a member) convened preparatory to the laying of the Corner Stone of the National Capitol by him on the 18th, of September, 1793. The furniture of the Lodge with which the Gavel and Regalia used by WASHINGTON has been carefully preserved, is here represented as they appeared on that occasion. The Apron was embroidered and presented to Washington by the Marchioness de Lafayette. NOTE: The title on the original lithograph was badly damaged and unreadable. Because of its importance, the information was reset in a period typeface with the exact same words and style as the original. It is positioned so that a framing mat could cover it should you not want it to show. Artist: James Fuller Queen (1821 - 1886), painted this portrait in 1870. Duval, a great lithographer of this era, published the original in 1870. Fuller, a staff artist for the firm, painted many of the historical works they published. Queens signature, although hard to find on the print, appears at the bottom right of the image. It is reproduced in the original location on the print. Historical Perspective: This painting clearly establishes the importance of the ideals of Freemasonry played in the formation of the United States of America and the role of President Washington in the Masonic Lodge. Of course, this has provided fuel for massive conspiracy theories, but it is obvious that Masons contributed mightily to our country. Image Size: 10.5 inches wide by 15.75 inches high - Paper Size: 11 inches wide by 17 inches high. This allows for a small border around the image for matting and framing. - Printed on a highest quality, acid-free, 100-pound glossy premium text paper that allows for maximum color brilliance and fidelity for older images. - - from HIBISCUS EXPRESS, http://www.amazon.com/shops/AXD9LOVGJXES3