Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio – Knights Templar Ship Design
Scenic design by Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio of Chicago, Illinois. This painted setting was designed for a Masonic clientele; the Masons used theatre as an instructional tool for members. Scottish Rite theaters were constructed to produced dramatic productions, teaching a specific lessons, similar to a morality play.
Cut drop design by Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio. Holak Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries.
Here is the link to the cut drop design on the scenery collections database: https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/item/p16022coll116:1585?facets%5Bcollection_name_s%5D%5B%5D=Scenic+Collections&page=2&q=masonic
Backdrop design by Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio. Holak Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries.
Here is the link to the backdrop design on the scenery collections database: https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/item/p16022coll116:2115?facets%5Bcollection_name_s%5D%5B%5D=Scenic+Collections&page=2&q=masonic
The backdrop and cut drop design are part of the Holak Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries. The Holak Collection, Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Northwest Studios Collection and Great Western Stage Equipment Co. Collection are all part of an online searchable database. Here is the link to the database with over 3000 images of historic designs produced by American scenic studios: https://umedia.lib.umn.edu/search?facet_field=collection_name_s&facets%5Bcollection_name_s%5D%5B%5D=Scenic+Collections
I post a historic scene every day to my FB Group Dry Pigment and my FB Page Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett.
Painted detail from cut drop design.Painted detail from cut drop design.Painted detail from cut drop design.Painted detail from backdrop design.Painted detail from backdrop design.Painted detail from backdrop design.
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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