The Self Devouring Snake – House of Stuart Symbology Of Restoration & Rebirth.
Recently, I have done an exhaustive search into the Study of the Symbology of the Loyalists to the House of Stuart using the Circular Snake that eats its own tail.
It was just over two years ago when this information was exposed by the Jacobite author Paul Monod in his book Jacobitism and the English People. Also his students on their website, went into full detail of the symbology meaning to the deposed Charles II.
The Stuart Sovereignty Snake symbology represented the circular course to regain the thrown and the snake being the Stuarts “God Given Authority to Rule” with this circular snake representing their riyal “Link” to God and the Restoration of Charles II . This documentation originated from the Oxford scholars personal diary, Thomas Hearne. Which I recovered from the original British Parliamentary government records posted below. The Old Serpent of Spirit and Resistance in 1653-1660.
This is the symbology that was readopted when Charles II brother becomes king and is exiled by the Jacobites and is the origin symbolism of the George Washington, George Ross and Betsy Ross stars & Stripes flag of the United States.
It is unknown if Wright had known of this symbology that he introduced into his art work while in England first. But when he spent a years time in France with Benjamin Franklin, he was familiar with this symbology or the 9 Sister Masonic Lodge and the 9 sisters lodge adoption of this symbolism with their Lodge Seal that had the snake. Originating with the French Orient Grand Lodge that Charles II founded while in exile. The Orient Grand Lodge gave the 9 Sisters Masonic Lodge, their founding Charter to be established.
Over the last two years, I had spent hundreds of hours, searching for Stuart art that shows the symbology of the circular snake. So little was ever found, other than the factual documents that confirm this as fact and the many Jacobite Snake buttons that all American button collectors continuously believe the art originated in America. Representing a concept of Don’t Tread on me, when it’s factual don’t Tread Upon me!
Other than all of what was said, there is the famous British Loyalists Mansions that has this symbolism documented, painted as part of the Jacobite symbology on a ceiling. Then we have Murray G. H. Patrick an academic Professor finding documented evidence in his book that the Loyalist Cycle Club used this symbolism as part of their main symbology. These loyalist were known for their secret gatherings and using ornate engraved toasting glass to salute the Exiled Stuart king as the worded it “Over the Water”! Which means across the water in France or Italy. This is where a famous song originated that Americans think this song is part of American Western culture and a child’s nursery song named “My Bonnie lies over the Ocean” and bring back my Bonnie to me. Referring to the last true Stuart King, Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charles. Who failed to win back the thrown in his failed 1745 Up-Rising.
After Wright spent a year in France, he returned to America with letters of reference from Benjamin Franklin to Washington that would allow him to be the leading Masonic Guild Artist in America.
Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson favored the work of Joseph and introduced him to the leading socialite class and to the Military offices with Washington Society of Cincinnati.
This is we’re I realized I had spent countless hours looking for Wrights esoteric art with these paintings. Where many of Wrights initials were found in many paintings that were signed. I also found many of his Master Masons 47 numbers in his art work. Those finds were exceptionally important with spending years to prove that Joseph Wright factually made the two “”JLW” 1792 George Washington silver oval, Indian Peace medals.
Only last week I learned the Society owned a painting they believed was an original painting of their original member John Mills.
It’s not everyday, I find out another Wright painting exists and what hidden art that maybe found to advance the study. So immediately last week, I was well received by the Societies Museum curator. Not even in two hours, he sent me multiple images and I made him a bet that I would find solid evidence that proves Joseph Wright did the painting.
In less than 20 minutes I closely examined the images and my eyes lite up as it focused on the Society Membership medal he was wearing.
There it is, Wrights Stuart, circular self devouring snake on the painted medal and there are his initials in a couple locations if you look closely.
No one until now, ever knew this snake existed on this painting. Now there is an issue that the painting is not signed and now we have symbology that no artists of the day would have ever done, other than him. Just like the two circular snakes on the Wright Peace medal. Pictured below. The snake was shaded in and the aged patina enhanced the snakes head and eye on the medals bezel. The second snake is on the medal that the Indian is wearing, who is greeting Washington in the engraved scene.
So what are the odds that he is placing these snakes on medals that are in the art scene on a medal with an Indian wearing a medal with the circular snake? and painting? Still this offers exceptional credible evidence that the painting is authentic. Your always going to get that skeptic and clueless expert who would say it’s just a coincidence. After going head to head with so many expert authorities involving many relics from great seals to the only two proven Stars and Stripes flags. I had always have been a big believer of modern forensics. Sure you can test other painting of Wrights and do XRF testing and send the art out to the lab, starting at $10k a pop or more to match his paints. Just like the 1792 NY Wright peace medal, it cost thousands of dollars and many months with the scientists to prove the medal authentic. But some times you just get lucky from just putting in the actual time and dedication with countless hours of studying the known works done by the artist.
Below is the painting of General Giles. Giles painting has a fully documented provenance that Joseph Wright did this painting. Did the couple of well respected Wright experts prove the painting Of John Miller was painted by Joseph Wright, no they did not. No forensics that I read on the conservation was done. Except, these experts did in fact have the evidence of a society member and dialed in who he would be and the date of the painting. Still they did not prove it 100%
The Amazing thing, I remember Wright had done both General Giles painting and General Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben and both are wearing the Cincinnati Membership medals. After finding the best images that show the medals. We find that Joseph Wright did the Self devouring snakes on both medals and an additional one on Steuben’s other medal with an extra bonus the show the Master Mason number 47 symbology.
Pictured below is Wrights documented painting of General Steuben with a couple medals and both his medals show the snake. Pictured below is his painting and his medal from Europe with the snake and 47 in a couple locations.
You can see Wrights cross hatch checkering with the 4s and the 7’s are inverted. The center of the medal shows a large inverted J. Then go below the lower 4 I pointed towards. Below that you will see Wrights W.
The evidence is exceptional, the other great American masters like Stuart, Copley, Peal, artist in the circle with the government. You never see any such self eating snakes in any of their works. But they do and did curved worms and or accepted as snakes to represent Jesus last words on the cross “I’m nothing but a worm•.
At this point there is enough evidence that would show this symbolism is pretty much, Joseph Wrights Calling card. Here we definitely have a definitive on the facts with Wright and his Stuart Symbology of the Circular Snake.
The last image post is one that I highly doubt is a mystery to solve. A picture of General Henry Knox, society medal and on the ring above the medal, you can see the snake head and at 10-11 o’clock position, you can see the very good cut letter J.
Wright was friends with Knox and I believe his medal was made in France. Wright had opportunities that I’m sure to do additional custom work as such. Wright was summoned to do a portrait of General Knox’s son. His son was deceased and requested to visit the body at the Generals home and make the painting of the child.
Over the years, I have studied paintings of all the other important artist in the American Colonies. Gilbert Stewart, John Trumbull, Samuel Waldo, Charles Wilson Peal and John Singleton Copley. All studied abroad in England under Benjamin West. Copley left for England in 1774 to never return to America.
Of the known works and ready available images of their vast surviving portraits. I have not seen them engrave, draw, paint in any way, The symbolism of the Self Devouring Snake or the French La Loge des Neuf Sœurs “The Nine Sisters Number 9 . The lodge was established in Paris in 1776, was a prominent French Masonic Lodge of the Grand Orient de France that was influential in organising French support for the American Revolution with Benjamin Franklin as one of its founding masters.
American Relic Hysteries 