“Linen Scrim is still a finer and closer weave than bobbinet and is used mainly for effects such as an apparition or a vision scene, i.e., a subject is painted on the front of the scrim. When the light is removed from the front and brought up to reveal an object behind the scrim, the painting on the front disappears. Since scrim is only seventy-two inches wide, there are seams when it is used to form drops. These seams must be sewn as finely as possible so they will not show.”
Bradford Ashworth’s “Notes on Scene Painting” (1952, page 3)
The images below are from the Pasadena, California, Scottish Rite Theatre for the 15th degree Treasure Chamber scene.
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.
View all posts by waszut_barrett@me.com
