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Baphomet/Washington
The statue was eventually removed from the Rotunda due to public outcry. It now sits in
the Smithsonian Museum. One gets a sense of the meaning of Washington’s hand gestures
as they consider where his statue was designed to be placed, and what was directly overhead
in the Rotunda.
Apotheosis of Washington
This painting on the inside of the Capitol Dome is called The Apotheosis of Washington. It
shows George Washington ascending into the heavens to take his place alongside the gods
of Rome. The word apotheosis means “elevation to a divine status.” This painting portrays
one of the foremost teachings of Freemasonry. It is taught that as a man advances through
the various degrees of Freemasonry that he is ascending toward godhood. The Freemasons
often employ an image of a ladder ascending into heaven as a symbol of man’s progress
toward deification.
