The Masonic-Kabbalistic Art of Rosenberg
Peter Lanchidi
September 12, 2026 DOI: 10.1093/9780197788325.003.0005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Rosenberg combined Masonic and Jewish visual traditions, including tracing boards, Torah ark architecture, and mizrach paper cuts, into a new genre termed 'Masonic mizrach', and synthesized Masonic and Kabbalistic symbolism into a distinctive visual form called the Masonic ilan (Kabbalistic tree). |
Abstract
Abstract Chapter V provides an in-depth exploration of the visuality of Rosenberg’s Masonic-Kabbalistic art, which lies at the intersection of Masonic, Jewish, and esoteric traditions. The chapter begins by examining the two main visual traditions that influenced his works: Masonic and Jewish. This includes the study of tracing boards (visual educational tools in ritual work) and other symbolic Masonic charts, Torah ark architecture, and the mizrach table (a genre of Jewish folk art typically created as paper cuts). The analysis then turns to Rosenberg’s amalgamation of these traditions into a new genre that can be termed ‘Masonic mizrach’. Following this, the chapter investigates the visual representation of the Masonic and Kabbalistic contents, highlighting Rosenberg’s synthesis of these symbolisms to create his distinctive visual invention, the Masonic ilan (Kabbalistic tree). The chapter concludes by considering the textual and visual heritage of Western esotericism as reflected in Rosenberg’s artworks.