Astronomical (astrological?) signs on a tracing board from the Kloss / von “Löwen collection. The description says: “Apprentif et Compagnon du Soleil” (‘apprentise and fellow of the sun’). It can hardly be a “craft” tracing board with the coffin, the broken columns, etc.
“The Celestial Bodies can also be found on a 28th degree (“Prince of the Sun”) Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite tracing board they: “represent the 7 principal passions of life, useful to man, if he uses them in moderation, dangerous when he abandons himself to them.”
The Baylot collection of degrees contains a degree called: “Knight of the Eagle and the Sun or the Disentangled Chaos” which appears to look back at earlier degrees and sometimes comes with new explanations. In the catechism there is a question what the seven planet refer to. The answer:
Those seven planets represent according to the natural law the seven main passions of man, who as long as he uses them moderately, are very useful, but which becomes excesses to those who give in to them by which he lowers his mind and body and destroys himself.
Astronomical signs can often be found in the temples / working places on the European continent, especially in “craft” lodges. The symbolism is simple: as the sun goes up and down during the day (opening and closing of the lodges), it also makes a tour along the sky during the year.
Top: collection (1844) of Georg Kloss (1787-1854) (Collection de 84 tableaux, Kl.MS:XXV.1)
Bottom: A. & A. R. The intermediate Degrees 19º – 29º A.C.F. Jackson (1982)