The Raising of Hiram

This original painting by Ryan J. Flynn depicts the raising of Hiram, a story from the Masonic Degrees.

Painted as a companion piece to his painting "The Planning of the Great Temple" Ryan continued to use color and symbolism to show us the alchemical process we all must strive for in our Masonic journey.

Hiram Abiff is depicted as a younger man, dressed in natural colors of green and grey, representing the alchemical symbol of lead. Through his designs and efforts, we meet Hiram King of Tyre dressed in red and rising above Abiff, symbolizing the flames of alchemical fire, work and effort. Looking closer, we see hints of the numbers 3, 5, and 7 which allude to multiple meanings in Masonic Philosophy along with Bro. Flynn's well known use of light as a symbol in and of itself.