Interieur van de tempel van de vrijmetselarij te Philadelphia before 1874

This photograph of the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia was taken by Frederick Gutekunst, an important figure in the history of American photography. The image represents the Banquet Hall of the new masonic temple. The photograph provides visual codes into a world of fraternal organizations that have been historically important in American social and political life. It is a window onto a world of social clubs and hidden symbols. Philadelphia has always been a city associated with revolution and free thought, and yet this photograph gives insight into the more conservative elements that defined the city. To better understand the photograph and its historical significance, resources such as archival documents, newspapers, and organizational records might be consulted. The image reminds us that the meanings of art are always contingent on the social and institutional contexts in which it is created and viewed.