The scenic artist, E. H. Chase, was mentioned in the article “Well-known Drop Curtain in Philadelphia Theatres” on Dec. 18, 1894 (The Philadelphia Inquirer, page 45). He replicated an artwork for the Bijou’s drop curtain.
“’Le Bal Champere’ is the subject of the scene on the well-known drop curtain at the Bijou Theatre. The picture, which covers the entire curtain, appears to be set in a skillfully painted representation of a handsome gilded frame with panel border, about which light blue velvet curtains are artistically draped. The painting was executed by E. H. Chase, the scenic artist of the house, and is a realistic copy of the famous painting of that name in the Louvre, at Paris” (The Philadelphia Inquirer on Dec. 18, 1894, page 45).
The article was referring to “Les Plaisirs du Bal (Le Bal Champêtre),” an oil on canvas work by Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684-1721), ca. 1715-1717 (20.66” h x 25.66” w).
In 1894, the “Buffalo Evening News” noted that Chase was “the well-known scenic artist of the Union Square Theater in New York (23 May 1894, page 3). Three years earlier, Chase was noted as “Keith’s own scenic artist” (Philadelphia Inquirer, 5 Feb 1891, page 5).
The 1885 business letterhead for “E. H. Chase, Scenic Artist” advertised “Landscapes, Figures, Panoramas, Scenes in Tempera, Intricate Mechanical Transformations and Scenes of every description, Designed and Painted in the Best Style of Art.” I discovered this information from a group o three letters, signed by the artist about painting stage scenery for a “Mrs. Barth” in 1885. They were sold for $250 at an auction in 2016.
Like may scenic artists of the time, Chase was also contracted to complete the painted decoration in theater auditoriums. In 1897, the “Philadelphia Inquirer,” reported that Chase was working on the new decoration for the auditorium at the Ninth and Arch Museum: “The new dome decorations, the work of E. H Chase, one of the best known artists in the country, is a splendid example of artistic drawing and coloring” (8 Aug 1897, page 24). Described as a “curio hall,” the space was noted as “One of the handsomest halls in the country.” The “Philadelphia Inquirer” reported, “Many thousands of dollars have been expended upon the decorations alone, all of which were made under the personal supervision of E. H. Chase, the eminent scenic artist who has himself embellished the walls and ceilings with a number of exquisite water color paintings. There are over 600 incandescent lamps in the new curio hall” (4 Sept. 1898, page 10).
To be continued…
