An excerpt from the “Practical Guide to Scene Painting and Painting in Distemper” (F. Llyods, 1875)
“Foils – They are used chiefly in fairy scenes, for the purpose of imitating gold, silver, and jewels of every shade and color. They can be purchased at any theatrical wardrobe and ornament maker’s, as well as a few oil and color shops.
White, gold and copper – Colored Dutch metal. This is also sold by the above-mentioned dealers. It is, of course, cheaper, but tarnishes sooner.” (page 15).
The foils that I have encountered on Scottish Rite scenery are 1/4″ -3/8″ crinkled paper strips with a shiny “metal” surface that catches the light. The pictures shown below were taken during scenery evaluations at the following Scottish Rite theaters: Wichita (fairy scene images), Salina (Treasure chamber images), Grand Forks, Winona, and Santa Fe (Hades images).
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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