About this artwork
This plate was made by the Veuve Perrin Factory. Its surface displays a Masonic emblem: a triangle containing an eye, radiating light. This "all-seeing eye" symbolizes divine omniscience, a concept that spans cultures, echoing ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern sun-god worship. Now, consider the heart shape surrounding the emblem, crowned with delicate flowers. This synthesis of esoteric and sentimental imagery is no accident. Freemasonry, with its rituals and moral allegories, offered a framework for self-improvement and brotherhood. The heart, universally a symbol of love and emotion, softened the potentially severe image of the all-seeing eye. Observe how this symbol evolves. While the "eye" motif, a symbol of watchfulness and illumination, has roots stretching back millennia, Freemasonry reinterpreted it, embedding it within a fraternal narrative. Such images tap into our collective subconscious, creating an emotive response that transcends time. This plate, therefore, is more than decorative—it is a cultural artifact loaded with historical and psychological weight.
Plate
1755 - 1765
Veuve Perrin Factory
@veuveperrinfactoryThe Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NYArtwork details
- Medium
- ceramic, porcelain, sculpture
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 9 7/8 in. (25.1 cm)
- Location
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
- Copyright
- Public Domain
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About this artwork
This plate was made by the Veuve Perrin Factory. Its surface displays a Masonic emblem: a triangle containing an eye, radiating light. This "all-seeing eye" symbolizes divine omniscience, a concept that spans cultures, echoing ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern sun-god worship. Now, consider the heart shape surrounding the emblem, crowned with delicate flowers. This synthesis of esoteric and sentimental imagery is no accident. Freemasonry, with its rituals and moral allegories, offered a framework for self-improvement and brotherhood. The heart, universally a symbol of love and emotion, softened the potentially severe image of the all-seeing eye. Observe how this symbol evolves. While the "eye" motif, a symbol of watchfulness and illumination, has roots stretching back millennia, Freemasonry reinterpreted it, embedding it within a fraternal narrative. Such images tap into our collective subconscious, creating an emotive response that transcends time. This plate, therefore, is more than decorative—it is a cultural artifact loaded with historical and psychological weight.
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