Third Degree Tracing Board

Image credit: Museum of Freemasonry

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Notes

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Tracing boards are used by Freemasons in their lodge meetings as visual aids in their ceremonies, and there is usually a tracing board for each of the three ceremonies. This example is painted on canvas, although they can also be painted or drawn on wood, cloth or paper, or made out of stone. The third ceremony teaches Freemasons about the mortality of men, so the central design of this tracing board is a coffin. There are also several Masonic emblems including a set square, level, plumb rule, maul and compass. Freemasons make symbolic use of stonemasons’ tools in their ceremonies and they are often referred to as ‘working tools’. This tracing board is one of a set of three that belong to the Royal Naval Lodge No.59, which are currently on loan to the Library and Museum of Freemasonry.

Museum of Freemasonry

London

Title

Third Degree Tracing Board

Date

1810

Medium

oil on canvas on board

Measurements

H 109.5 x W 74 cm

Accession number

D2010/5

Acquisition method

on loan from the Royal Naval Lodge No.59

Work type

Painting

Inscription description

None

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Museum of Freemasonry

Freemasons' Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, London, Greater London WC2B 5AZ England

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