“…it has been said [George Fuchs] had much to do with the development of “relief theatre,” where the aim is to accentuate the decorative value of the moving figures, by the use of a very shallow stage and a very flat background. Further, George Fuchs was reported to have said, “ Let the stage painter, too, be content to stay in his own domain. He should not attempt to give the illusion of depth by depicting the three dimensions. He has enough to do if he confines himself to his proper problem of lines and planes.” In this University of Minnesota MA Thesis from 1951, James R Thompson (“Influences of Modern Painting on the “New Stagecraft”) uses a quote from “The New Stage Art” (1914, page 75).
I understand why and how this artistic movement pushed forward; what made it so appealing. But after centuries of creating dimension with paint, this movement instigated the loss of painting techniques and scene painting methodology.
Below is a detail picture from a York Rite degree in Grand Forks Minnesota (Masonic Temple). It is a translucent section of the drop from the biblical scene – the burning bush. I love the angel’s face.
Author: waszut_barrett@me.com
Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett, PhD, is an author, artist, and historian, specializing in painted settings for opera houses, vaudeville theaters, social halls, cinemas, and other entertainment venues. For over thirty years, her passion has remained the preservation of theatrical heritage, restoration of historic backdrops, and the training of scenic artists in lost painting techniques. In addition to evaluating, restoring, and replicating historic scenes, Waszut-Barrett also writes about forgotten scenic art techniques and theatre manufacturers. Recent publications include the The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre (Museum of New Mexico Press, 2018), as well as articles for Theatre Historical Society of America’s Marquee, InitiativeTheatre Museum Berlin’s Die Vierte Wand, and various Masonic publications such as Scottish Rite Journal, Heredom and Plumbline. Dr. Waszut-Barrett is the founder and president of Historic Stage Services, LLC, a company specializing in historic stages and how to make them work for today’s needs. Although her primary focus remains on the past, she continues to work as a contemporary scene designer for theatre and opera.
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