“The Scenic Painter oftentimes is requested to furnish sample drawings or sketches of the work to be performed, and to familiarize the beginner with the most essential rules of correct drawing, which necessarily must be known by all scenic artists, we have included, in this work; several chapters on pencil drawing, elementary perspective, pencil sketching, crayon drawing, in addition to the painting of scenery in oil, all of which are very instructive and necessary, as no scenic painting, no matter how elaborately executed in colors, can correct the faulty drawing of the scene depicted.”
Excerpt from “Theatrical Scene Painting: A Thorough and Complete Work on How to Sketch, Paint, and Install Theatrical Scenery” (Appleton Publishing Co., Omaha, Nebraska, 1916, preface)
The rendering below is from the Holak Collection at the University of Minnesota Libraries, Performing Arts Archives. These renderings are available in a searchable online database: https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/scenicsearch
The attached rendering depicts a 31st degree scene, titled Classical Interior and is in numerous Scottish Rite Theaters across the country.
Corresponding scene by Sosman & Landis Studios, ca. 1912. This was taken during the photo shoot this week for the upcoming Santa Fe Scottish Rite book.
