James Edward Freeman (1808–November 21, 1884) was an American painter, diplomat, and author. He studied painting in New York and later in Italy, where he served as a U.S. Consul to Ancona, part of the Papal States, and spent a greater part of his life.

This 1842 painting represents a touching scene of a Crusader knight returning home to discover that while he was away his wife (or, possibly, mother) has passed away. Notice the radiant light on the face of the knight, despite of him being in a scarcely lit corner of the church. There is no specific Templar connection here, but I would like to use this as an illustration of the fact that a married knight could indeed join the Order of the Knights Templar, as long as his wife conceded to such a change of status. Standard rules of abstinence would still be in effect, of course, and in most cases the spouses would have lived in different parts of the known world.

See also: 10 things you’d have to give up to become a Knight Templar

Initiation of Jacques de Molay at the Beaune commandery in 1265 by François-Marius Granet(17 December 1775 – 21 November 1849). A discerning eye might find some neoclassical influences in Granet’s works. As far as resemblance to the actual event, it is almost certain that the depiction is purely hypothetical. This painting is sometimes erroneously believed to describe de Molay’s elevation to the rank of the Grand Master of the Knights Templar. It is very clear that the brother on the left is holding the newly created Templar’s mantle and sword, while the initiated is wearing civilian clothes.

See also:
Knights Templar Initiation

Illustration to the “Romance of Lancelot of the Lake,” published c. 1820-30. One obvious problem, of course, is that to become a Templar one was supposed to be already a knight and of noble descent (there were some irregularities which I will not be discussing here). Thus, it does not make much sense to be knighting someone in order to create a Knight Templar. Nice Romantic piece, nonetheless.