One subdivision of the Moline Scottish Rite collection was very distinct and possibly the work of a single artist. It was identifiable due to its unique style and predominance of overtly bright colors.
There were several scenes that stood apart from the remainder of the Moline collection, especially those that were refurbished for the new stage. The colorful 1930s additions included the Road to Jerusalem, the Cave, the 13th degree Ruins, a Mountain backdrop, the 16th degree Ruins, the Crucifixion, the Ascension, a City in Chaos, and the Cedars of Lebanon. As previously discussed, the abundance of primary colors could have been the result of the aesthetic shift that occurred on stage in the field of scenic art during the 1920s and into the 1930s. But these drops were all just a bit too bright and the style a bit too loose. As I evaluated the scenes, something seemed “off” and was not consistent with other Becker drops that I had encountered over the years. I wondered if this was a temporary hire at the studio in 1930.
This particular scenic artist’s technique and lining were very rough in appearance. Although the composition read fairly well from the house, the paint application remained extremely unrefined. The pictorial illusion was also slightly shattered due the flat appearance of each shape and oddly colored spatter. I wondered if this was the work of an apprentice or young artist at Becker’s studio if not the work of a temporary employee during a busy time.
As with the other scenes painted in 1930 there was a lot of glazing used to build up each shape. I understand that glazing is the preferred method in some studios and could also be tracked back to a specific regional tendency. However, this was something that I had not encountered with Becker scenery before.
Again, there was an excessive amount of spatter throughout each composition. But the coloration of the spatter made no sense at all. Often warm is spattered on cool areas of the composition. This helps with the scene read well under a variety of lighting effects. Similarly, cool colors are spattered on the warm areas. This helps the painting “glow” regardless of the lighting design. In Moline, there were just oddly colored paints spattered on top of random areas. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason.
Again, this could be suggestive of the work by a young artist. The artist could know that spatter was part of the current painting process, but not understand what color was appropriate for each scene or area of the drop. I thought back to the third generation of Cincinnati scenery produced by Bob Moody. He recalled his lack of experience and struggle, being told to “just paint the drops” at Volland Studio. He spattered everything – again without any formulaic application.
The thin paint of these select scenes at the Moline Scottish Rite Cathedral also intrigued me. I have encountered examples where the paint is so thin that the entire drop could have been a transparency. I have also evaluated dye drops at Scottish Rite theaters. For commercial touring shows, the extremely thin application of paint, or use of dye, made sense to me. If the drops were constantly shifted or transported to a new venue, the painted compositions would hold up over time. For example, in Madison, Wisconsin, there are more Scottish Rite drops than lines to hang them from. Almost all of their drops are dye drops and the majority are kept off stage in a nearby storage room. Now kept in plastic tubs, each drop is easily accessible to immediately hang for a degree.
I recalled Jesse Cox’s drops on display at the theater museum in Mount Pleasant, Iowa too. His diamond dye process came to mind for tent shows. I even double-checked the Moline drops to verify that it was dry pigment and not dye. Sure enough, the colors were beginning to dust and I could see a thin layer of paint sitting on the surface. Not dye, just thin dry pigment.
The last thing that fascinated me was the predominance of warm pinks and reds throughout the composition of each scene. I wondered if this was the result of poisonous or fugitive colors. These terms mean that the appearance of some colors have altered over time or affected the appearance of neighboring colors. For example, the blue coloration in a purple paint can disappear over time– leaving only a faded bright pink or red area. An easy way to understand this shift is to think of old letters on parchment. A shift in the coloration of ink can occur over time. The original black ink can shift to a faded blue, purple or brown. This also happens with many children’s markers. I have watched black marker drawings turn to red in just a few years. Certain aspects of each color simply disappear over time as they are exposed to various forms of light.
It is possible that this appearance of each Moline drop remained unaltered. However, everything seemed slightly “off” for these few Scottish Rite scenes. So whether it was a young artist’s inexperience or faded coloration of pigments, some of the Moline scenes were stylistically unlike anything that I had ever encountered before. This was just one more mystery that may remain unsolved.
To be continued…
