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Hand Slightly Inside the Coat

Scotty32

Registered User
A friend showed a picture of his grandfather at lodge with his hand slightly inside his coat. I noticed also that other masons throughout the years have done the years (Washington, Napoleon, etc) have done the same.
In the Archives of Brazos Union I found this photo of one of our Past Masters.

NewImage.jpg


Is there something it alludes to that I am missing?
 
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Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
My Brother, this could be simply due to the amount of time that one would have to stand "posed" for a painting or photo to be completed. Some place for ones hand to rest for an extended period of time.

If memory serves me correctly the old tin-type images took over an hour of exposure to "take".
 

Benton

Premium Member
According to Wikipedia (for what it's worth) that's a gesture that originates from Classical times, when Aeschines, founder of a school for rhetoric, suggested that speaking with an arm outside one's toga was rude. Since people back then were much more classically trained than we are today, I could see that as being plausible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand-in-waistcoat
 

Jacob Johnson

Registered User
I seem to remember being told that, in the famous painting, Napoleon was actually holding a bullet wound that used to flare up. Anyone know if that's just a legend?
 

JJones

Moderator
I seem to remember being told that, in the famous painting, Napoleon was actually holding a bullet wound that used to flare up. Anyone know if that's just a legend?

Who knows? I heard a similar tale that he placed his hand in his coat because he had appendix (sp?) problems. I don't think anyone knows for sure. :wink:
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
Indigestion? Parisian food is quite rich you know.

Of course, I heard Waterloo was a bitter pill to swallow.
 

chancerobinson

Registered User
I couldn't resist the urge to post a little Stonewall Jackson ...

[video=youtube;41u3_vyAJTk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41u3_vyAJTk&feature=related[/video]
 

tom268

Registered User
Hm, to my knowledge, Napoleon was never a mason, at least not Emperor Napoleon. Many of his Generals and Marshalls were, and he forced the Grand Orient to accept his brother as Grand Master.

As far as I learned it in school, the story about the health problems (whaever it was, stomach. liver,) is the most probable.
 

jwhoff

Premium Member
Not surprised about the health issues. He did have a lot of gall.

Let's C: Russia, Egypt, "A"ngland ...
 
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