Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 246 – Men Who Found Fame in the Wing and Drop Curtains, the Scenic Studio

The same year that the Sosman & Landis Annex studio opened, an article appeared in the Chicago Sunday Tribune, “Paint Mimic Scenes, Men Who Have Found Fame in the Wing and Drop Curtains” (Dec, 18, 1892, page 41). Here is the continuation of that article started in installment #245:

“The scene bridge being the highest inhabited portion of the stage few people are familiar with its surroundings, or how the artist gets his effects. He paints primarily for location in a great “shadow box,” which is the stage, always making calculations for distances, angles, and the witchery of lights. Scenic art of high grade is, however, regarded today as only different from other studio art in its breadth – a mere question of scale. As to the quality of finish it may be remarked that when scenery is lacking in detail it is due to lack of knowledge in the painter, lack of time, certainly not in accord with any principle of stage painting. Formerly the theatrical painter was expected to be truly catholic in his accomplishments, and was called to attempt any subject that the playwright might designate. Now this work, as in other lines of art, is falling more to specialists, and with far better results in figure, drapery, landscape, or architectural design. In spite of many drawbacks in the past, scene painting as a school has been an excellent one. Witness many good men who have left it to win distinction in the galleries of Europe and America: De Loutherbourg, Porter, Boulet, Jacquet, Lavignoc, Leitch, Stanfield, Roberts, Allen, Cole, Detaille, Kingsbury, Potast, Rymnosky, Wets, Guetherz, Peigelheim, H. Fillaratta, Homer Emmons, Charles Graham, and J. Francis Murphy. It will be observed that this list has members of the English Royal Academy, some famous Germans and Frenchmen, and, too, America is ably represented.

Scenic painting is not necessarily a course art because one cannot read a square yard of a scene 70×40 feet at a distance of a few feet. To judge any picture one should be sufficient distance to allow the eye to take in the entire subject. On the basis of this test a well and carefully painted scene will be found to be as finished as the majority of pictures, or even more so.

Extending over the rear of the stage on a level with the “fly gallery” is the scene bridge. It is from six to eight feet in width, but this is the distance from which the artist must regulate his perspective and study his color effect. The canvas to be painted having been glued in its frames, and hung in position so that its top is level with the gallery, the great frame on either side of the bridge being raised or lowered as occasion requires, the canvas is treated to a coat of priming by an assistant. The artist then goes over this surface with a charcoal crayon enlarging the scale of design from a small model previously prepared. He may then outline detail in ink and dust off the charcoal. As the color work is all done in distemper and dries rapidly, the artist must not only be active but certain in the performance of his task. If the scene be an exterior, particular care must be observed in the blending of the sky, as laps of color will ruin atmospheric effect. In using distemper the artist must paint solidly, otherwise his work will take the dirty complexion of thin oil and be ruined. He must avoid powerful greens which become coarse; strong blues which grow black; exaggerate yellows which are robbed of strength by excessive light; and, if the management is economical, use carmine sparingly.

Limited space will not permit of any description of scenic work in interesting detail. It is a curious fact that in Europe scenery is painted on the floor instead of having the canvas stretched on a framework. The original outfit of the Auditorium was thus painted in Vienna. Long-handled brushes are used in this work and the artists perch high on stools to gain their idea of perspective.

Note: I was fascinated that the article mentioned the first scenery for the Chicago Auditorium was painted in the European style – on the floor and not on a vertical paint frame. Then there is the suggestion that this only pertained to the first set, not all other painted scenery produced for the venue. Furthermore, the article included an illustration of the Auditorium paint bridge.

To be continued…