Religious Toleration
By Edwin Howland Blashfield, (1848-1936)
unveiled January 11, 1905
The Toleration Act of 1649 reads as follows.
.An Act Concerning Religion:
...whatsoever person or persons shall from henceforth upon any occasion of offence otherwise in a reproachfull manner or way declare call or denominate any person or persons whatsoever inhabiting, residing, traficking, trading or comercing within this province or within any ports, harbours, creeks or havens to the same belonging, an Heretick, Schismatick, Idolator, Puritan, Independent Presbyterian, Antenomian, Barrowist, Roundhead, Seperatist, Popish Priest, Jesuit, Jesuited Papist, Lutheran, Calvenist, Anabaptist, Brownist or any other name or term in a reproachful manner relating to matters of Religion shall for every such offence foreit and lose the sum of ten shillin..
The central figure in this painting is Cecil Calvert, Second Lord Baltimore . Standing behind him are a Catholic priest and Protestant pastor together holding the edict of toleration. The winged boy in the center of the painting is holding the scales level to symbolize equality. The goddess Justice is depicted in red and next to her is a boy holding a shield with the date 1649, the year of the edict.
The following quote is from a letter written by Edwin Howland Blashfield read at the unveiling of his painting:
"What I intended to suggest was simply Lord Baltimore commending his people to Wisdom, Justice, and Mercy. Wisdom holds out the olive branch to the tolerant"
The Burning of the Peggy Stewart & Religious Toleration
in Maryland: Mural Decorations in the Baltimore Courthouse, The Muncipal
Art Society of Baltimore, 1905
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