Masonic Sun Enamel Pin from The Met Museum

Emblems abound across a British pendant (1758) with Masonic symbols, which inspired the subject of our radiant pin. Representing enlightenment and sovereignty, the anthropomorphic sun-often depicted with a humanoid face-commonly adorns Masonic objects, and crowns a heavily architectural landscape on the enameled copper pendant in the Museum’s holdings. Having developed out of craft guilds, Freemasonry often adopted symbols of the crafts-for instance, the architect’s square as a symbol of virtue; fluted columns, evocative of King Solomon’s temple; the rusticated arch, referring to the arch of heaven; and a mason’s level, representing equality, among many others-in addition to religious and heraldic devices.