The Art and Architecture of Freemasonary

by James Stevens Curl

Due to the secrecy of Masonic society, the members heavily relied upon symbols and icons to communicate. This groundbreaking study details the secret society's influence on modern American and European aesthetics. In its own way, this book may be one of the most important contributions to an understanding of Western art, and will be invaluable to architects, artists, and anyone interested in the esoteric ideas and iconography of Freemasonry.

Concepts such as death, trial, and descent into the depths are prevalent in Masonic architecture, and have permeated the designs of parks, gardens, and cemeteries for centuries. Architectural history professor James Stevens Curl also looks at the way Masonic ideas have permeated other art forms from literature to the performing arts, where operas like Mozart's The Magic Flute used Masonic elements in everything from the characters' names to the music to the stage designs-the original drawings of which are included here. The 190 exceptional illustrations are accompanied by detailed, informative captions.

Genres: Architecture

271 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1993

About the author

Born in Ireland, where he received his early education, Professor Emeritus James Stevens Curl has held Chairs in Architectural History at two British Universities. Having graduated in Architecture at Oxford, he went on to study Town Planning, and wrote his Dissertation under the direction of the German architect, Arthur Korn. He later read for his Doctorate at University College London, and has twice been Visiting Fellow at Peterhouse, University of Cambridge. He is a Member of The Royal Irish Academy, a Fellow of the Societies of Antiquaries of London and of Scotland, an Architect Accredited in Building Conservation, a member of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, a Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland and a Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects . He worked for a number of years as an architect, with an especial interest in historic buildings and conservation, until he became a full-time academic in 1978, having already published perceptive articles and books which began to establish his reputation for impeccable scholarship, a fine prose-style, and penetrating insights.

Reviews

[Phae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authoritative and well-researched, Curl scrutinizes the history of this secretive society starting from the guilds of the Medieaval Age to the end of the Neoclassic period. He looks at the correlation between the architecture and artistic sensibilities which were informed by Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Greco-Roman temples and necropoli, and the hermetic rituals which they used to initiate fellow Freemasons. There are also some highly informative and interesting chapters on their involvment in various revolutions and political reform movements, as well as their role in NeoClassicism and the atelier style.