Sosman & Landis – Page 32

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 386 – For the times they are a-changin’

Part 386: For the times they are a-changin’

“Come gather ’round people
wherever you roam,
and admit that the waters
around you have grown,
and accept it that soon
you’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you is worth savin’
then you better start swimmin’
or you’ll sink like a stone.
For the times they are a-changin’.”

Yesterday I quoted an author who used the term “patent medicine scenery.” He was referring to the painted product produced by scenic studios such as Sosman & Landis. The author went on to describe that studio drops were “produced almost entirely by mechanical means,” meaning a very specific formulaic approach to color application. During the late-nineteenth century, Chicago was a major manufacturing center for theatrical goods and Sosman & Landis Studio dominated the market. Their work was received with rave reviews and their marketing techniques remained unequalled. Soman & Landis represented the American school of scenic art that employed solid colors in an opaque manner. Their painted compositions were worked up from dark to light. At this time in America, there was a rivalry between two schools of scenic art. Scenic artists working along the eastern seaboard had a tendency to employ the English technique of glazing. Midwestern artists used a much more opaque application of colors.

Original 1890s Scottish Rite scene for the Little Rock Scottish Rite by Sosman & Landis Studio. The backdrop was enlarged in 1902 and later resold to the Pasadena Scottish Rite in the 1920s.

Detail from same Little Rock scene depicting the brevity during paint application, hence the term “slapdash.”

The minimal use of highlights on a dark background is very realsitic when viewed from a distance. It allows the eye to fill in the missing information. It is the dramatic separation of colors that allows this type of painting to work exceptionally well for the theatre.

Detail from same scene that shows the rapid speed of the artist when painting the composition. Under the red tassel there are drips left from the “slapdash” method of marble painting.

The application of light dark on paint that is stunning from a distance, yet the technique “falls apart” upon close inspection.

Detail of backdrop that shows the rapid rate of the artist’s speed.

Thomas G. Moses gives us some insight into the rapid growth of Sosman & Landis and their techniques to quickly turn out scenery installations, describing that when he started with the company in 1880 he was always on the road. He and Sosman traveled a great deal in the beginning, rapidly filling orders immediately after Landis secured the work. It would take six months before Moses even meet Landis, as the company salesman was constantly crossing the country to drum up work. They had a great marketing formula – a salesman on the road with a crew who followed and completed the orders. Work was nonstop for the company.

At first, Moses was employed for a weekly rate of $18, knowing that he could make between $35.00 to $45.00 per week at other theaters. This situation directly contributed to the overall growth and success of Sosman & Landis; it meant that they were hiring an employee at half any competitor’s rate and maintaining a higher profit margin that would allow the company to remain solvent. This also enabled the studio to keep Landis on the road, securing even more work. Of their painting, Moses wrote, “My work might not have been as artistic as some I saw in the theatres, but it pleased the people who paid for it.” He was referring to the rapid painting technique employed by the Sosman & Landis studio and the application solid colors? Keep in mind that the “slapdash” technique mentioned in regard to the Sosman & Landis studio was still very effective from a distance, and that was all anyone really needed to make a sale.

The times were certainly changing for theatre manufacturers and supply companies during the second half of the nineteenth century. Product needed to be quickly produced and reach the appropriate venue. As W. J. Lawrence wrote in 1889 “it is not unusual for these firms to receive an order by telegraph in the morning for a scene…which will be completed dried, and sent on its way to the purchaser before nightfall” (The Theatre, July 13, 1889, page 371-374). This was a time when the Midwestern region of the United States was experiencing a period of unprecedented growth. The scenic artists and their solid colors were currently winning, but their success would not last.

“Come writers and critics
who prophesize with your pen,
and keep your eyes wide
the chance won’t come again.
And don’t speak too soon
for the wheel’s still in spin,
and there’s no tellin’ who
that it’s namin’.
For the loser now
will be later to win
for the times they are a-changin’. ”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 384 – Sosman & Landis – A Leading Firm in Their Line

Part 384 – Sosman & Landis – A Leading Firm in Their Line

Yesterday, I listed Sosman & Landis scenery installations that were delivered between June 1881 and July 1882. Only nine years earlier the same Macomb Journal reported, “our young friend Joe Sosman” was assisting the “eminent artist T. B. Harrison, of Chicago” (Macomb Weekly Journal, 17 April 1873). Harrison had worked as the scenic artist and produced the stock scenery for the Moore’s Opera House in Nevada, Missouri; Lamar Opera House in Lamar, Missouri; and the New Odeon Theatre in Maquoketa, Iowa (Harry Miner’s Theatre Directories 1884 and 1887).

In Macomb, Illinois, Sosman was Harrison’s assistant when they were painting scenery for the stage – “the focal point” of C. V. Chandler’s Opera House. Of Sosman, the Macomb Journal reported, “Joe has superior abilities, and our citizens will wake up some fine morning and find in him, that Macomb has a first class artist.”

Here is the Macomb Journal 1882 article titled, “SOSMAN & LANDIS – A Leading Firm in Their Line in Chicago – The Senior a Macomb-Raised and Educated Boy” (The Macomb Journal, 13 July 1882). Here is the article in its entirety:

“Nearly all the county readers of the Journal know “Joe” Sosman, and that he is in Chicago in the scenery-painting business, but few, if any, are aware of the prominence of the firm of which he is the senior partner. “The News Letter,” a paper devoted to the theatrical interest, in an article not long since, gave some account of the prominence and business of the firm, which article we append below. We know it will be perused with interest by hundreds of the “Journal” readers, who have a lively solicitude not only for Mr. Sosman, but for every McDonough county boy who goes out in this great world to carve his fortune, his head and hand being his only capital. Here is the article:

“One of the surest indications that Chicago is fast becoming one of the most important dramatic centers in America is the evidence before us, that in all matters pertaining to the theatrical profession Chicago has become, so to speak, a manufacturing center. Theatrical printing, etc., have long been staple industries, but of late years, matters which hitherto might have been considered as peculiarly belonging to the great metropolis of the East, have taken prosperous root in Chicago. Among the industries we refer to is that of fitting up opera houses and out of town theatres.

Some five years ago, Messrs. Sosman & Landis, a firm composed of a couple of enterprising young fellows established in this city what they termed a scenic studio. The beginning gave them a good deal of hard work, but in the period we have mentioned above, their business has grown from comparatively nothing to being one of the most important of its description in the United States. This all speaks volumes for Chicago as a theatrical center, and say what we may, there is no disavowing the fact that next to New York city, Chicago is without a question the most important locality in America in all matters pertaining to general amusement affairs.

Perhaps no better recommendation could be given to the firm we have referred to above than the information which is contained in their circulars to managers, and which tells the actual number of houses they have fitted-up since the first of June, 1881. We give the list as a matter of curiosity as much as anything else:

New Opera House, Rockford, Illinois

Academy of Music, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Grand Opera House, Richmond, Indiana

Hill’s Opera House, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Humblin’s Opera House, Battle Creek, Michigan

Union Opera House, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Russell’s Opera House, Bonham, Texas

Brownsville Opera House, Brownsville, Texas

My Theatre, Fort Worth, Texas

Leach’s Opera House, Somerville, Tennessee

Kahn’s Opera House Boliver, Tennesse

King’s Opera House, Jackson, Tennessee

Stummer’s Hall, Washington, Georgia

Vicksburg Opera House, Vicksburg, Mississippi

McWhinney’s Opera House, Greenville, Ohio

Yengling Opera House, Minerva, Ohio

City Hall, Athens, Ohio

Freeman’s Opera Hall, Geneseo, Illinois

Odd Fellows Hall, Peshtigo, Wisconsin

Hyde’s Opera House, Lancaster, Wisconsin

Klaus’ Opera House, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Storie’s Opera House, Menominee, Wisconsin

Holt’s Opera House, Anamosa, Iowa

King’s Opera House, Hazleton, Iowa

Opera House Nanticoke, Pennsylvania

Opera House Athens, Georgia

Opera House Gainsville, Texas

Opera House Reidsville, North Carolina

Edsell Opera House, Otsego, Michigan

New Opera House, Howell, Michigan

Stouch Opera House, Garnett, Kansas

Germania Hall, Blair, Nebraska

Bennett’s Opera House, Urbana, Ohio

Klaus’ Opera House, Jamestown, Dakota

Opera House, Westville, Indiana

City Hall, Mineral Point, Wisconsin

City Hall, Lewisburg, West Virginia

Opera House, Denison, Iowa

Opera House, Nevada, Ohio

Opera House, Hoopeston, Illinois

Opera Hous,e Cambridge, Illinois

Turner Hall, LaSalle, Illinois

Kolter’s Opera House, Wausau, Wisconsin

Opera House Moberlv, Missouri

Krotz’s Grand Opera House Defiance, Ohio

Opera House, Montague, Michigan

Opera House Eutaw, Alabama

Opera House, Greyville, Illinois

Opera House, Carthage, Illinois

Masonic Hall, Macomb, Illinois

New Hall, Good Hope Illinois

Music Hall, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Temperance Hall, Seneca, Illinois

Opera House, Jefferson, Iowa

Opera House, Waupaca, Wisconsin

Soldiers’ Memorial Hall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Opera House, Mexia, Texas

Opera House, Wilson, North Carolina

Opera House, Newbern, North Carolina

Opera House, Goldsboro, North Carolina

Grand Opera House, Cheyenne, Wyoming

Cosmopolitan Theatre, Miles City, Montana Territory

Arbeiter Hall, Ludington, Michigan

Opera House, West Bay City, Michigan

Opera House, Detroit, Minnesota

Opera House, Lockport, Illinois

Opera House, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

Opera House, Grass Lake, Michigan

Opera House Demopolis, Alabama

Opera House, Unionville, Missouri

Opera House, Harrodsville, Kentucky

Opera House, Hancock, Michigan

City Hall, New London, Ohio

Opera House, Stevens’ Point, Wisconsin

A visit to the studio of Messrs. Sosman & Landis, in this city, reveals the fact that these gentlemen at this time give employment to five of the best scenic artists in the United States, and that their facilities for turning out first-class work with promptitude and at reasonable figures is unequaled by any establishment in America. At this very moment these gentlemen are actively employed in fitting-up the interior of one or two of the best theatres in the West, and their large corps of artists and stage carpenters are constantly kept busily at work.

We take some little pride in the success of these gentlemen. It has always been, and still is, our ambition to see Chicago ahead in all matters pertaining to western dramatic affairs, and the unusual success which has attended the venture of Messrs. Sosman & Landis is a feather in the cap of our wishes.

It is true that much of the success attended these gentlemen has been due to the fact that they have proved entirely reliable in all their transactions, and that their work has always been of the very best. They take contracts to fit up the entire stage of any new house in course of erection, and we venture to say from undoubted information that no contract that they have ever undertaken has proved aught but most highly satisfactory. With their success the success of Chicago as a dramatic center is blended, and we are more than glad to see that to-day, in nearly every opera house in the West which is under erection, the contract for fitting up the stage has been let to Sosman & Landis.”

From 1880 to 1889, Sosman & Landis outfitted 1000 thousand theatres. By 1889, the company employed twenty-five individuals. By 1894, the company’s brochures advertised that 4000 places of amusement were using scenery made by their firm. This scenic studio was shaping the industry and they were painting with solid colors as in the Central European approach.

In 1880, Thomas G. Moses wrote that he and Sosman traveled a great deal in the beginning and Landis was always away, traveling to secure orders; Sosman and his crew painted what Landis sold. It would take six months before Moses even meet Landis after being hired as he was constantly traveling across the country to drum up work. Interestingly, Thomas G. Moses left the Sosman & Landis studio for the first time during May 1882, just a few months before this article was published. He left the firm to partner with Lemuel L. Graham. Graham would later found Kansas City Scenic.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 357 – Thomas G. Moses und “Das Deutsche Haus” in Indianapolis, 1897

Part 357: Thomas G. Moses und “Das Deutsche Haus” in Indianapolis, 1897

Thomas G. Moses started the year 1897 still painting for Sosman & Landis at the Alhambra Theatre space. This was another of the company’s annex studios for their subcontracted work. When the Alhambra opened its doors for the season, the Chicago Tribune noted that Thomas G. Moses painted two “beautiful new curtains” for the theatre (15 August 1897, page 29). Moses recorded that his other projects at the Alhambra only consisted of “a lot of small time stunts” and nothing that would ever appear on Broadway. The studio was located in a rough neighborhood on State Street and Archer Avenue. The theatre had been dedicated on September 1, 1890. H. R. Jacobs retained management until April, 1897. His replacement for the next season was the one who requested that Moses paint the two new backdrops.

By May, Moses wrote, “I again got that awful wanderlust, and as I was sub-contractor I had a perfect right to make any contracts I chose, as long as I gave Sosman and Landis their ‘bits.’” Moses continued, “I felt that I was an expensive piece of humanity to the firm as they had promised to give me all I could do – even if they had to rob the Clinton Street Studio to do it, so I felt my going would release them from worry.” Scenic artists received a weekly salary at Sosman & Landis only if there was work. Moses recognized that if Sosman & Landis had to “rob the Clinton Street Studio” to provide him with work, it really meant that he would be taking work away from his fellow artists. For the summer, Moses again left the employ of Sosman & Landis and Chicago. He ventured to Indianapolis where Fred McGreer and Ed Loitz joined him for few projects there.

Moses wrote that one of their Indianapolis projects was for the “German House.” Das Deutsche Haus was later christened the Athenæum. The venue was affiliated with the German-American community of the city who had raised the funds to create a large complex. The building was located at 401 E. Michigan, the fifth and largest hall constructed in Indianapolis by the German-American community.

Many German immigrants relocated to the United States following the failed Revolutions of 1848. They arrived to the city in large waves between 1848 and 1860. The immigrants formed a variety of singing and theatrical societies, as well as political groups and social clubs. As with other immigrant communities, these associations and clubs were specifically intended to preserve memories of their homeland and continue many of their familiar traditions. In Indianapolis during 1892 several German groups joined to form an association that would finance a home dedicated to preserving German culture and heritage. Two lots were purchased at the corner of Michigan and New Jersey Streets in an area of the city known as Germantown, or Lockerbie Square. The building was designed by Bernard Vonnegut of Vonnegut & Bohn. Vonnegut was a second-generation German-American living in Indianapolis at the time.

Gymnasium at Das Deutsche Haus, ca. 1908

His building design included an auditorium, gymnasium, restaurant, beer garden, and meeting rooms. The massive complex was constructed in phases between 1892 and 1898. The restaurant, the Rathskeller, is still open and remains one of the oldest restaurants in Indianapolis.

The Rathskeller Restaurant at Das Deutsche Haus is till open for business!

Construction for the East Wing of the complex began immediately in 1892 and was finished by 1894. Construction for the West Wing began in 1897 on the corner of Michigan and New Jersey Street; the directors of the organization secured a lot south of the existing building that was 202 feet square. The price tag for the proposed West Wing expansion was $80,000 and included a performance space. The second floor music hall featured a stage area that measured 98 feet by 59 feet (Indianapolis Journal, 19 April 1896, page 20). The proscenium opening was 33 feet wide by 27 feet deep. Moses’ mention of a painting project at the German House was likely the creation of scenery for the music hall stage in the West Wing expansion.

The Music Hall at Das Deutsche Haus was constructed during the West Wing expansion of 1897.

Also in 1897, the Musikverein (Music Society) was founded at Das Deutsche Haus. Their performances were featured in the music hall of the West Wing. The Musikverein included a variety if groups, such as their all-male choir, mixed choir and sixty-piece orchestra. The Wets Wing was decorated in the German Renaissance Revival style, incorporating a steep-pitched hip roof and a three-story brick tower with a curved mansard and spire.

During World War I, anti-German sentiment prompted the curtailment of many German social activities in the building. Furthermore, the old name of the Das Deutsche Haus was erased over the main entrance and the new name “Athenæum” inscribed in its place. The name change for the complex was celebrated on Washington’s birthday “at which Governor Goodrich assured the 700 members of his confidence and their loyalty (Logansport Pharos-Tribune, 23 Feb. 1918, page 12).

The 1918 name placed over the German House entrance, rechristening the building as the Athenæum.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 348 – Thomas G. Moses’ Return to Sosman & Landis in 1896

Part 348: Thomas G. Moses’ Return to Sosman & Landis in 1896

By 1896, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “In July Mr. Landis dropped in to see me about going back with them, as I was not doing too well. I agreed with the understanding that all my helpers would be taken care of, excepting [Harry] Vincent, who went East where he made a hit. I hustled my unfinished contracts and joined the Sosman and Landis Studios again.” This speaks to Moses’ character as an individual and businessman; helping out those in his employ secure work as he closes the doors on his own business. I wonder how many business owners do that now; thinking about the many employees who show up to work only to see a note on the front door that the business has been closed.

This is the second time that Landis was able to bring Moses back to the studio after branching out on his own. Landis was the salesman after all, yet knew how to handle artists. But there was something more to it when Landis asked, although I am not quite sure of what it was. Maybe he was simply a good salesman, accentuating the future benefits that Moses would receive after joining the studio again. Maybe he acknowledged that there would be problems in any workplace. Regardless, Sosman & Landis offered Moses stability and the opportunity to advance. Whatever it was, Landis’ offer to return was accepted by Moses and he was actively working in the Sosman & Landis annex studio again by late summer of 1896.

Moses would not stay for long, but soon depart to embark on another business venture in New York– Moses & Hamilton. Like the others, it would not last. He returned for the third and final time to Sosman & Landis in 1904. That year, Sosman was the one to ask for Moses’ return; Landis’ failing health caused him to leave the company and Sosman was overwhelmed with administrative activities. I have always thought that Moses returned to help out the Landis family more than Sosman. He would remain quite close with Landis’ son throughout the remainder of his career.

In both 1896 and 1904, Sosman & Landis needed Moses’ help to run one of the two studios. Neither Sosman nor Landis was a young man, even in 1896, and I wonder if there wasn’t a promise made to Moses about his someday running the company. In the following decades, Moses would lament his leaving Moses & Hamilton, as well as New York in 1904. He regretted walking away from and tutelage of Roswell M. Shurtleff, sketching trips in the area, and the Salmagundi Club. Moses continued to miss his friends and the artistic community in New York.

Upon Moses’ return to Sosman & Landis in 1896, he was immediately swamped with work; they needed him desperately to run their annex studio – again. Moses wrote, “I had so much special work to do and it was hard to handle in the Studio. We rented the frames at the Alhambra Theatre and I worked there during the Fall and Winter.”

“Special work,” is repeatedly mentioned in Moses’ typed manuscript, but never defined. My research suggests that “special” work referred to Masonic projects. Moses painted the first scenery collection for Little Rock in 1896, a Sosman & Landis subcontracted project from M. C. Lilley & Co.

1896 Little Rock Scottish Rite building. Photograph included in “General Pike’s Poems” (Fred W.Allsopp, 1900).

Scenery created by Thomas G. Moses for the Albert Pike Consistory in 1896. Photograph included in “General Pike’s Poems” (Fred W.Allsopp, 1900).

It was also the first of three scenery collections for the Albert Pike Consistory in Little Rock. Moses takes direct credit for the 1896, 1902, and 1923 installations. The 1896 Little Rock collection is not the first Scottish Rite scenery installation in the United States, nor in the Southern Jurisdiction. It was the first Scottish Rite collection that Moses took responsibility for at Sosman & Landis Studio. He also listed it as the first of fifty-five Scottish Rite installations that he supervised between 1896 and 1929 on his resumé.

Degree Class photo with scenery produced by Thomas G. Moses in 1896. Sosman & Landis installation pictured in an 1899 Fall Reunion program.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 347 – Thomas G. Moses during the First Half of 1896

Part 347: Thomas G. Moses during the First Half of 1896

Thomas G. Moses continued to financially struggle during the first half of 1896. Scenic art projects included a production of “Mountebank” for Frederick Warde; a production of “Sea King” for J.H. Shunk (Chicago, proprietor of the Calhoun Opera Company); a production of “Santa Maria” for Camille DeArville, “the Queen of comic opera”; a theatre installation in Anderson, Indiana; stock scenery for the Hopkins Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri; and a small project in Toledo.

Thomas G. Moses painted the scenery for “Santa Maria,” starring Camille D’Arville in 1896.

By early May, Moses traveled to Boston where he painted a production of R. A. Barnet’s “The Merry-go-Round. ” It was a project for Harry Askins. Of the production Moses wrote, “I was fortunate enough to make a hit in Boston. The show was fairly good.” The Boston Post reported the show as “a brilliant burlesque of contemporary local interest by R. A. Barnet, which will be given a colossal spectacular production,” featuring 150 people with 500 costumes (17 May 1896, page 10). The production team for “The Merry-go-Round” included William A. Seymour (stage producer); Thomas G. Moses (scenic artist); Mme, Seidle (costume designer); W. E. McQuinn (Musical Director); Gustave Sohlke (Ballet Master); Joseph Halliday (mechanical effects); and J. G. Estee (Properties), and others.

Thomas G. Moses painted the scenery for Harry Askin’s “the Merry-Go-Round” in 1896 (Boston Post, 17 May 1896, page 10)

During his absences from the studio, Moses left Ed Loitz in charge. Loitz was his long-time assistant and friend. In reality, he was Moses’ “right-hand man” for almost every project that he accepted. Whether working at Sosman & Landis or not, Loitz remained loyal to Moses and accompanied him on many adventures. He would still be working with him in 1923. However, in the scenic studio, Loitz was no Moses. When Moses was away, production slowed down. Furthermore, Moses’ stylistic flare was absent from the final product when he was on the road.

As with many studios, one name was on the work, but the painting was competed by many hands. That is one of the significant feature that made the Fort Scott Scottish Rite collection so unique; in 1924, it was solely painted by Moses on site – no big studio crew. In most cases, a Scottish Rite collection was composed of dozens of backdrops in a very limited timeframe, thus necessitating many people simultaneously working on the project. There are very few of these Scottish Rite collections that can solely be attributed to one scenic artist and a stage carpenter. They provide a unique glimpse into the past when individual artists were forced to complete a massive project by themselves. You can tell on certain drops when they were running out of steam.

Other 1896 shows that weren’t recorded in Moses’ typed manuscript included “The Bells.” The Times Herald reported, “Manager [Ira J.] LaMotte has given Mr. Clay Clement a superb scenic production of ‘The Bells,” painted by Thomas G. Moses with costumes by Schoultz & Co., so that a complete production in every detail can be expected” (7 Nov. 1896, page 7). Moses also painted the scenery for “The New Dominion” that toured with “The Bells.” The St. Louis Post – Dispatch commented that both plays were painted “from the brush of well-known scenic artist, Thomas G. Moses” (31 August 1896, page 2). The St. Joseph Herald reported “The company carries a car load of scenery from the brush of Thomas G. Moses of Chicago” (St. Joseph, Missouri, 29 August 1896, page 3)

Moses also painted another “Ben-Hur” set in 1896. A Tennessee newspaper article described how the Women’s Board of the Tennessee Centennial were preparing for the production of the grand spectacular at the Vendome (The Tennessean, Nashville, 10 May 1896, page 9). The article reported, “The scenery used is from the brush of the celebrated scenic artist, Thomas G. Moses, of the Schiller Theatre, Chicago, and the subject of the play itself offers spectacular effects the best opportunity of any amateur production ever had in Nashville.”

The description of this particular production is especially delightful, as it provided a sense of Moses’ designs:

“The play will begin in the lonely desert where the Magi meet, Joseph and Mary will appear at the Joppa Gate, and the Wise Men will arrive at the Damascus Gate in search of him who is born King of the Jews. The appearance of these men before Herod and all the Bible story will be vividly presented.

The scenes will again shift, and Ben Hur will be introduced in all the beauty and strength of his youth. The succeeding scenes will carry him through the thrilling experiences of the tale, from the home of happy companionship to the sad position of a galley slave.

The famous chariot race will be introduced, and this part is almost unexcelled in scenic pantomime. The reuniting of the separated families will be shown, ending with the dramatic farewell to Iras. The production will close with a beautiful transformation scene, Iras’ Dream of the Nile. In this closing view is represented $10,000 worth of scenery and costumes, and taken together with the many pretty faces of Nashville’s society girls, it will be the most gorgeous spectacle to gaze upon.”

Although the amount of scenery produced by Moses and his crew during the first half of 1896 seems somewhat staggering, it was simply not enough for him to survive on his own. Sosman & Landis had been keeping a watchful eye on their former employee and decided to approach him that July. They were still short one man and Moses was now desperate. It seemed to be a good time to bring him back on board for a reasonable price.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 345 – Albert B. Mason, Scenic Artist

Part 345: Albert B. Mason, Scenic Artist

The death of Forest Seabury made me search for other scenic artists that passed way in 1895. Their departure signaled the beginning of a transitional period, as younger artists rose to prominence across the country. By now, Thomas G. Moses represented the old guard, even though he was just beginning to enter his middle aged years. We were beginning a key period in the history of American scenic art and stage design. Between 1885 and 1905, the entertainment industry would split and evolve in many different directions. Those in charge guided the future division of theatrical trades as the roles of theatre technicians became more defined.

In 1895, one of the top scenic artists at Sosman & Landis was murdered. This event was not only tragic, but also accentuated the absence of Thomas G. Moses from the studio. On February 14, the Chicago Tribune reported, “Albert B. Mason, scenic artist lies dead at his home, No. 130 West Van Buren street, the result of wounds received Saturday night in a fight with two thugs who assaulted and tried to rob him. He went to the drug store at 9 o’clock for some medicine. On the way home when crossing the alley between Jefferson and Desplaines streets he was jumped on by the thieves and knocked down.” The article commented that although Mason was a “big strong man” and “made a brave fight,” his assailants got the better of him. He pulled out his gun to scare them off, but they wrestled the weapon away; one held his arms and the other pounded him over the head with it until he fell unconscious to the ground. Later while stunned and bleeding, Mason still made it home to his wife. Two days later he expired at 11 o’clock in the morning. The post-mortem examination revealed that a large artery in the head had been severed and the skull fractured.

The last line of the article connected Mason to the Sosman & Landis studio: “Albert B. Mason had been painting theatrical scenery for the firm Sosman & Landis, No. 236 South Clinton street, seven or eight years and was one of their best artists. He leaves a widow and son.” This was one more name to add to the group of artists who worked for Sosman & Landis during their early years. Although, Moses was not working for Sosman & Landis at the time, he would have certainly known Mason, as their work for the studio would have crossed over.

The tragic tale of Mason continued, but Mason’s assailants were eventually apprehended after an eyewitness account and positive identification of the two. The policemen caught the thieves named Cornelius O’Brien and Harry “Butch” Lyons, noted as “two of the toughest of many tough footpads that infest South Clinton, Desplaines, and Halsted street districts.” O’ Brien received a twenty-year sentence and O’Brien was sentenced to death by hanging.

Article about the fate of Alfred B. Mason’s assailants, from the Detroit Free Press (Oct. 12, 1895, page 2).

What this also provides is a little insight into the type of neighborhood where Sosman & Landis had their studio on Clinton Street. Noted as 236 South Clinton Street, the address was actually 236-238 S. Clinton Street. When many of the Chicago Streets were renumbered, the final Sosman & Landis Studio address would become 417-419 S. Clinton Street.

In 1896, Moses returned to work for Sosman & Landis again. They would open another annex studio – also located in a rough neighborhood. Moses recorded that the new annex studio was located in the Alhambra Theatre. The Alhambra Theatre was located on State Street and Archer Avenue. It was dedicated on September I, 1890. H. R. Jacobs was the manager and retained management until April, 1897.

Of this studio and its less-than-ideal location, Moses wrote, “It was a long ride to Oak Park and I disliked the theatre. It was a very rough neighborhood – a hangout for all the big crooks.” His words take on a new meaning when considering the fate of Albert B. Mason near the main studio on Clinton Street.

I thought back to my own late nights when I left a theatre after painting all day. I was always alone, walking to my car with my senses on “high alert” for any potential danger. For many, it is the simple “knowing that there may be danger ahead” that is dreaded at the end to every day. It is the hoping that you will not meet anyone, and the knowing that if you do to not to make eye contact. It is the understanding that you may not make it home alive if you chance upon the wrong stranger. Moses was fortunate to always make it home. Mason was not. His carrying a weapon for self-defense hadn’t really made a difference in the end.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 310: Thomas G. Moses and Frank Cox

In 1894, Thomas G. Moses recorded getting the contract for the New Lyceum Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee. Located at the corner of Third and Union Streets, the old Lyceum Theatre had burned to the ground during November 1893. The theater was on the lower floor of an athletic society building and the total loss was $360,000. Only three years old at the time of the fire, construction immediately began to build another theater on the same site.

*The original Lyceum Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee, 1890. The building burned to the ground in 1893.*

Opened by H.L. Brinkley, the New Lyceum Theatre cost $235,000 and had a seating capacity of 2,010. It included an oblong proscenium that was illuminated with exposed light bulbs, similar to the electric scenic theater on top of the Masonic Temple Roof Garden that same year. This was a feature was called a luxauleator, or “a curtain of light” invented by Steel MacKaye for the Spectatorium in Chicago (see past installment #265). The New Lyceum was credited as being the first theatre in Memphis to have electric lighting.

The auditorium included open metalwork railings for each of the three balconies and boxes. Ironically, it was this decorative aspect that would ultimately postpone the opening as there was a delay in the arrival of the iron work (Montgomery Advisor 7 Oct 1894, page 9). The final dedication occurred on Monday, December 3, 1894, with Otis Skinner opening the venue. His productions were “His Grace de Grammont” and “The King’s Jester.”

*The New Lyceum theatre designed by Frank Cox with scenery by Thomas G. Moses, 1894.*

Moses wrote, “The firm wanted this badly, but the architect insisted on my work.” “The firm” was Sosman & Landis and the architect was fellow scenic artist Frank Cox. Tignal Franklin “Frank” Cox (1854–1940) was also the theatrical architect who was designing several other opera houses that same year.

*Tignal Franklin “Frank” Cox (1854–1940), scenic artist, decorator and theatre architect.*

His projects in Texas alone included remodeling the opera house in Sherman, a new ground-floor theater in Galveston, the Stanger Theater in Waco, the Peterson Theater in Paris, and the opera house in Gainesville (The Times-Picayune, 8 April 1894, page 27).

Newspaper articles would note Cox as the “well-known scenic artist and architect of theatres.” Cox worked as a scenic artist, architect, decorator, builder, and developer throughout the course of his career. During the time that he the theater in Memphis, he was still running Cox Bros. and working with his brothers and Clark (1861-1936) and Eugene (1869-1943). Their ages at the time were 40 (Frank), 33 (Clark) and 25 (Clark). The three men had five other siblings with a father who had started work as a Boston painter in 1871. Eugene Cox had a son named after him, Eugene Jr. (1889-1967), who was also a scenic artist, so it gets a bit confusing.

*Eugene Cox (1869-1943), scenic artist and decorator, was part of the New Orlean scenic studio, Cox. Bros.*

*Clark Cox (1861-1936), scenic artist and decorator who worked for Cox Bros. scenic studio at the New Orleans Opera House.*

Here is a little background to place Frank Cox in context of nineteenth-century scenic art. Harry Miner’s American Drama Directory (1882-3) credited Frank Cox with the scenery for the Opera House in Batavia, New York and Smith’s Opera House in Tarrytown, New York. By 1890, Cox was working as a scenic artist, decorator and architect in the New Orleans area. He continued to work as a scenic artist throughout the decade, being credited with scenery for Temple Theatre in Alton, Illinois (1899) and Klein’s Opera House in Seguin, Texas (1903-1904). Like Moses, Cox also worked in oil and exhibited his fine art. In 1894, he participated in an art exhibition with his brother Clark. Both were members of the Artists’ Association in New Orleans (The Times-Picayune, 13 Dec. 1894, page 3). This was one of many art shows where the Cox brothers exhibited their work.

This brings us to another interesting aspect of the Cox family – the family feud. Frank, Eugene, and Clark operated a scenic and fresco business known as Cox Bros. in New Orleans. However, it was referred to as “Frank Cox’s Studio at New Orleans,” him being the eldest and most experienced. They had quite a large staff by 1891 that included the scenic artist Emile Nippert and stage machinist James A. Kee (Fort Worth Daily Gazette 11 August 1891, page 2). The Cox Bros. studio was located in the Grand Opera House of New Orleans. Frank withdrew from the partnership in 1896, but the partnership continued to operate under the same name of Cox Bros., despite Frank’s public declamation that the firm was dissolved. Eugene and Clark published a rebuttal, wanting to make it “thoroughly understood” that they would continue to operate the scenic and fresco business under the name Cox Bros. By the way, there appears to be no immediate familial ties to the Jesse Cox Scenic Studio of Estherville.

There is something interesting to ponder when thinking about the Cox family. Frank understood painted illusion for both the stage and auditorium. He would have been the perfect theater architect as he understood the aesthetic and mechanical demands of the venue. A variety of historical sources explain that architects would often hand over the stage design to a scenic studio. The studio would identify the layout and materials for the space, thus securing work from the architectural firm. I wonder if after guiding architects, Cox decided to work directly with the client and avoid working with a middle man -the architectural firm. Cox’s position as the architect would also secure work for his company Cox Bros., in the form of both scenic and decorative art. His position could have provided an endless stream of projects, as apparent in 1894. Maybe he was expecting too much of his younger brothers and swamping them with work, too much for them to handle without his help in the studio. Maybe that was why Cox reached out and specified other artists for his multiple projects – like Moses.

The big picture is that there was history and friendship between Cox and Moses, plus they were only two years apart in age. He was a friend of Moses and greatly respected his art. When you look at the front curtain for the Lyceum Theater, it is understandable why Cox wanted Moses in charge of the scenery for the New Lyceum . Moses and his crew painted a beautiful exterior landscape with his signature “babbling brook.” Decades later in 1931, Cox would again request that Moses paint some Fiesta floats in California, although Moses would decline.

*Interior if the New Lyceum Theatre (Memphis, TN) with drop curtain painted by Thomas G. Moses in 1894.*

*Detail of Thomas G. Moses’ drop curtain for the New Lyceum Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee, 1894.*

Regardless of the reason, Cox’s selection of Moses over Sosman & Landis in 1894 had to have been quite a blow to the scenic studio as the project would not be supervised by their company as planned. That was their ultimate goal after opening the annex studio -controlling all of Moses’ subcontracted work and keeping him on a leash. By doing this they maintained a position of control and ultimately determined which contracts they would pass down to Moses, yet benefited by his name. The New Lyceum Theatre was one in a series of projects where architects and clients specified that the work solely go to Moses. This was the beginning of his second departure from the studio of Sosman & Landis.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 292 – The American Reflector and Lighting Company

The American Reflector and Lighting Company has appeared in many of my searches over this past year. I first encountered the name of the company when looking through the papers of John R. Rothgeb at the Univeristy of Texas, Austin – Harry Ransom Center. As I was quickly compiling an inventory of the contents in this primarily unprocessed collection, I noticed the name American Reflector and Lighting Company. It was listed in the the paperwork for the final estate of Joseph S. Sosman’s wife, May P. Sosman. 25 shares of American Reflector and Lighting Company stock were noted and valued at $100 each. I was intrigued.

Photocopy made by John R. Rothgeb for his research pertaining to the Soman & Landis scenic studio of Chicago. His collection (John R. Rothgeb Papers) is at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas – Austin.

A year later, while I was examining the rigging in the Yankton Scottish Rite with Rick Boychuk, I saw the name American Reflector and Lighting Company again. We were crawling around the building, then – “Lo and Behold!” – I noticed the company’s name on a metal cover.

American Reflector and Lighting Company metal cover found in the attic of the Yankton Scottish Rite during November 2017.

By the way, one of my favorite things to do is explore the attics of Masonic buildings. They are treasure troves that contain a variety of artifacts providing information about the past. Luckily, few Masons take it upon themselves to organize a cleaning day for the attic, or space above the stage and auditorium. If they did, even more valuable artifacts would end up in a dumpster. I finally decided to continue the research concerning the American Reflector and Lighting Company that I started while in Texas during 2016.

American Reflector and Lighting Company opened its doors just before the Columbian Exposition in 1893. Pretty smart move, considering that the fairgrounds would need and extensive amount of street and specialty lighting – all done at the last minute. The world fair opened a few months after the American Reflector and Lighting Company. Sosman and Landis had also opened the annex studio in anticipation of the increased workload and were greatly diversifying their product.

Advertisement for the American Reflector and Lighting Company in a Sosman & Landis Catalogue from 1894-1895. Collection of Wendy Waszut-Barrett.

Lighting fixtures advertised in a Sosman & Landis Catalogue from 1894-1895. Collection of Wendy Waszut-Barrett.

On March 24,1893, The Chicago Inter Ocean included the American Reflector and Lighting Company of Chicago as a newly formed business under the heading “Licensed To Do Business.” The company’s incorporators were listed as Perry Landis, William A. Toles and Robert Latham. The capital stock was valued $100,000. Charles Landis was listed as the treasurer. The Chicago salesroom was located at 271-273 Franklin Street where the company advertised 150 styles of reflectors for users of electricity, gas and oil. Their lighting fixtures used crystal glass lined with pure metallic silver to provide “the best practical reflecting surface.” The company advertised that their reflectors, for both indoor and outdoor lighting, “promised that the power of light was fully utilized, as its rays are saved from waste, strengthened and thrown in the desired direction.” The 1897 issue of “Western Electrician” included a plate with American reflectors manufactured by the company (Vol. XX, Jan. 2-June 26, page 505 and 518). “Paragon reflectors” were a specialty line of the company’s product, also made in a variety of forms.

Some of the lighting fixtures manufactured by the American Reflector and Lighting Company in 1897. Included in the December issue of Western Electrician, 1897.

William A. Toles, was the second of three incorporators to found the American Reflector and Lighting Company. He had a history with the reflector business in Chicago as he had also helped found and manage the Wheeler Reflector Company of Chicago. The two other incorporators for that company the Willard L. Gillam and George E. Plumb. The Wheeler Reflector Company sold the reflector designs of civil engineer and inventor, William Wheeler (1851-1932). Wheeler was widely known for his innovative patents that included not only lighting, but also water and sewage systems. In 1880, Wheeler filed a patent for a novel form of lighting. He commercialized his invention through the Wheeler Reflector Company of Boston, Massachusetts. The company was extremely profitable and remained an important manufacturer of street lighting until the mid-twentieth century.

One of many inventions by William Wheeler to reflect light for increased visibility.

An ex-employee in Chicago later accused Toles of bribing city officials to select their company when contracting work for streetlights during 1886 (The Inter Ocean, 4 April 1887, page 1). After the excitement of this accusation ended Toles created another business – the Western Wheeler Reflector Company.

The Western Wheeler Reflector Company was located at No. 88 Lake Street in Chicago. On April 13, 1888, the Chicago Inter Ocean reported the company’s incorporators as William A Toles, Willard L. Giliman, and George E. Plume. Same individuals, slightly different spelling of names in the newspaper announcement. This time, the company started with $50,000 in capital.

During the 1880s Toles started two reflector companies. By 1893, he was involved in a third – The American Reflector and Lighting Company. The Western Wheeler Reflector Company was also still in business at the time his third company opened. There were a lot of potential contracts to provide city lights, stage lighting and illuminate the Columbian Exposition. For Toles, it was a win-win. For Sosman & Landis, it was diversifying their interests and ensuring a healthy profit at the end of the day.

When Landis left the Sosman & Landis in 1904 and after Sosman passed away in 1914, Thomas G. Moses was primarily responsible for the running of the studio. Unfortunately, he was a scenic artist who mainly focused on the painted scenery and not all of the other areas of the company. The scenic studios who continued to thrive were those who diversified into fabric curtains, rigging and other stage hardware. As Moses continued to focus on a painted aesthetic, the world began to pass him by, as well as the Sosman & Landis studio. The entire aesthetic for the entertainment industry began to change and a company had to be willing to let certain products surpass existing favorites – like painted illusion. This was especially important as the Great Depression began.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 291: Back to 1892

For several installments I took a sidetrack to examine cycloramas, the American panorama Company and women scenic artists. These are all intricate pieces of a puzzle that mark a unique time in the history for visual entertainment. Prior to that, I was looking at Thomas G. Moses’ projects during 1892, as I continue to present his typed manuscript from 1873 to 1934, year by year. “Tales of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Acquiring the Fort Scott Scenery Collection for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center” is about the significance of this acquisition and the career of the collection’s artist – Thomas G. Moses. The purpose of this discourse is to provide context concerning its significance. Although much of the collection has been damaged beyond repair due to ill handling, this collection was once internationally significant in the world of theatre history and Masonic history. I’m providing a glimpse of why I recommended the purchase of the painted scenery collection while working as the Curatorial Director for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center during 2015.

Let’s venture back to 1892.

This is two years before Grace N. Wishaar’s scenic art career began in Seattle and thirty-two years before Moses would paint the Scottish Rite scenery for Fort Scott, Kansas.

Moses’ typed manuscript personally documents his involvement in scenery for a variety of productions that included “The Outsider,” “Columbus” for Mr. Leavitt, “Fabio Romana,” “The Black Crook,” “A Day in the Swiss Alps,” “South Sea Islanders,” “Kansas State Exhibit,” “The Laplanders,” “Streets of Cairo,” Javanese Theatre, Chinese Theatre, a dozen big floats, “Lady of Venice” for Buffalo Bill, W.F. Cody and many others. He also worked on productions that were nearby the fairgrounds such the Trocodevs, the Empire Theatre and the Isabella Theatre. There were many other projects completed by Sosman & Landis artists. Each of these projects is a worthwhile story to understand and appreciate Moses contributions to the Columbian Exposition. It is important, however, to recall that the Sosman and Landis studio was situated across the street from the Western Electric Building in Chicago. Their work for Western Electric and other scenic electric theatre displays makes complete sense. “Being in the right place at the right time” could have been their motto.

In the larger context of Chicago and the world of theatrical manufacturers, businesses were popping up all over the place and the Columbian Exposition gave many the “push” that they needed to not only survive, but also thrive in the following decades. For many scenic studios, panorama studios, fresco studios, and other decorative art firms, the formation, running, changing hands, and longevity were all up in the air. The individual artists would get together for a year or two, maybe five, and then split, quickly regrouping with another group of individuals.

So what made Sosman & Landis last so long? They partnered in 1877 and the business continued into the 1920s. They rapidly grew during the 1880s and by the 1893 World Fair started to soar. There success? They paired new technology with old – looking forward, but diversifying and branching into other areas – draperies, lighting, rigging, and scenery. Unlike many artists, they sold the whole package to theaters. If there was a product that they needed, they began to manufacture it, started a new company, or bought stock in in it. One of the side businesses of Joseph S. Sosman was a company specializing in lighting products – the American Reflector and Lighting Company. When I stumbled across the stamp up in the attic of the Yankton Scottish Rite, all I could think of was, “Of course, you sold it here too. Your biggest client – the Masons.”

Up in the attic of the Yankton Scottish Rite I noticed the American Reflector and Lighting Company stamp. Photograph from November 2017.

Detail of the stamp from another company that Joseph S. Sosman was involved in during the 1890s.

Advertisement for the American Reflector and Lighting Co. in a Sosman and Landis catalogue from 1893-1894.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 279 – A Snapshot of the Milwaukee Panorama Artists

At the same time the American Panorama Company was opening their studio in Milwaukee, Sosman & Landis were building another scenic studio in Chicago on Clinton Street. Early in 1886, the Sosman & Landis artists moved into the space. There, Thomas G. Moses and David A. Strong would complete their first project – a panorama of General Grant’s Trip Around the World (see installment # 215). Strong was much older and considered part of the Dusseldorf School of painting (see installments #127-128). This would be Sosman & Landis’ main studio for four decades. In 1886, Thomas G. Moses, Edward Loitz, Henry C. Tryon, John H. Young, Hardesty Maratta, Ed Morange and were all part of the paint staff. Charles S. King was the Soman & Landis stage machinist while C. D. Baker was their electrical engineer. Wehner’s panorama staff included at least twenty people in 1885, with the majority being new immigrants.

I want to stop and take a quick glance at the talent employed by William Wehner for his American Panorama Company as well as some other Milwaukee Panorama artists from that same time. Milwaukee panorama painters were quite a diverse community. Although not all were foreign, many hailed from distant lands and few would return to their homeland after the projects ended.

1887 image (26069) from the Wisconsin Historical Society, here is the link to the photograph: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM26069 Group portrait of German painters relaxing in the studio of the American Panorama Company, during a break from painting the Jerusalem cyclorama depicting the crucifixion of Christ. Artists with their specialties include from the left, standing at the table, Franz Bilberstein (landscapes), Richard Lorenz (animals), Johannes Schulz (figures), and Bernhard Schneider (landscapes), and sitting from the left end of the table, Bernhard (Wilhelm?) Schroeder (Schroeter) with pipe (landscapes), Franz Rohrbeck (figures, especially Confederate), Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (wearing a hat) (Supervisor and master of composition), Karl Frosch (Frosh), Thaddeus Zukotynski (Zuchatinsky) (figures), George Peter (animals), Amy Boos, August Lohr (in profile) (Supervisor and designer of landscape settings), and Herman Michalowski (figures).

Immigrants still bring various skills and assets to our country that help it continue to grow and evolve. That was as true in the nineteenth century as it is now. The Milwaukee panorama artists contributed their talents as our country expanded from coast to coast. Foreign artists became part of the fabric that shaped American art and entertainment.

Below is a list of the Milwaukee panorama artists listed at the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) website. These are names that I have compiled and go beyond the tidy little bundle of “panorama artists” placed in MOWA’s panorama category. In some cases, MOWA gives a brief biography for the artists and in other cases nothing is known beyond a name. Some are not even listed as a panorama painters, yet they were pictured as working in the American Panorama Company in 1880s pictures. It would take some exhaustive research to compile more that this simple list below and I am well into Gene Meier’s territory at this point.

Below, I have included the panorama artists place of birth, place of death. To see the names together with a brief snap shot of their origins highlights the diversity of the group and validates why the United States has often been referred to as the great melting pot. It has always been an asset to our country.

There is a lot to comment on, but what surprised me the most of all was the mention of women, specifically Amy Cross, Amy Boos (Tesch), Mary Grover and Eileen Henrietta Collins. This is a significant dent in the workforce and more than just the lone wife of daughter helping out. They are not the only women scenic artists that I have been noting and tucking away in a separate document. There will be a post in the very near future about females in this predominantly male world. Also, keep in mind as you read the list of panorama artists below that Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934) grew up in Sterling, Illinois and worked from 1873-1934.

There is much more information pertaining to each individual artist, but it is important to see them as a whole and imagine their role in various panorama projects. I have also attached images of art by some of the above mentioned artists. Most were pulled from art auction websites and listed as “sold.” However, it is really quite something to look at their work as a whole and think about all of that talent working in one building. This goes far beyond an artist or two painting a Masonic drop. Each artist brought something unique to the project.

Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (1845-1921) from Leipzig, Germany and died in Milwaukee http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/friedrich-wilhelm-heine/profile-65.aspx

Otto Dinger (1860-?) Born in Dusseldorf, Germany. Death location is unknown. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/otto-dinger/profile-954.aspx

Paul Wilhelmi (1858-1942) Born in Dusseldorf, Germany and died in Detroit, Michigan. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/paul-wilhelmi/profile-3528.aspx

Wilhelm Schröter (1849-1904) from Dessau, Germany, and died in Karlsruhe, Germany http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/wilhelm-schroeter/profile-147.aspx

Louis Kindt (1832-1923) Born in Baden, Germany and died in Chicago, Illinois. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/louis-kindt/profile-1809.aspx

Gustav Wendling (1862-1932) Born in Buddenstedt, Germany. Location of death unknown. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/gustav-wendling/profile-3483.aspx

Bernhard Schneider (1843-1907) Born in Lüneburg, Germany and died in Cedarburg,Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/bernhard-schneider/profile-146.aspx

Karl Hubert Frosch (1846-1931) from Altshausen, Wurttemburg, Germany, and died in Munich, Germany http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/karl-hubert-frosch/profile-1200.aspx

Otto Wilhelm Joseph von Ernst (1853-1925) from Dusseldorf, Germany, with no death location. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/otto-wilhelm-joseph-von-ernst/profile-1076.aspx

Herman Heinrich Albert von Michalowski (1860-1903) from Berlin, Germany and died in Chicago. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/herman-heinrich-albert-von-michalowski/profile-2349.aspx

Oil painting by Herman Heinrich Albert von Michalowski

Conrad W. Heyd (1839-1912) from Bavaria, Germany and died in Milwaukee. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/conrad-w-heyd/profile-68.aspx

Richard Lorenz (1858-1915) Born in Voigtstedt, Germany and died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/richard-lorenz/profile-96.aspx

Albert B. Richter (1845-1898) Born in Germany, but no location of death information. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/albert-b-richter/profile-2789.aspx

John C. Fery (1859-1934) from Strasswalchen, Austria, and died in Everett, Washington. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/john-c-fery/profile-45.aspx

August Lohr (1842-1920) Born at Hallein near Salzburg, Austria. Death location is unknown, but Mexico is suggested. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/august-lohr/profile-95.aspx

Theodor Breidwiser (1847-1930) Born in Vienna, Austria and died in Vienna, Austria. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/theodor-breidwiser/profile-625.aspx

George Peter (1859-1950) from Vienna, Austria, and died in Milwaukee. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/george-peter/profile-122.aspx

Pierre Joseph Brouchoud (1815-1892) from Le Chable, Switzerland, and died in Mischicot, Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/pierre-joseph-brouchoud/profile-7735.aspx

Franz Biberstein (1850-1913) from Solothurn, Switzerland and died in Milwaukee. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/franz-biberstein/profile-18.aspx

Gustave Higgins (1863-1909) from Sweden and no death location. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/gustave-higgins/profile-7698.aspx

Harold Hall (1865-1932) from Oslo, Norway and died in Seattle, Washington. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/harold-hall/profile-59.aspx

James R. O’Neill (1833-?) from Ireland with no death location. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/james-r-oneill/profile-3636.aspx

Franz Edward Rohrbeck (1852-1919) from Saxony, Prussia and died in Milwaukee. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/franz-edward-rohrbeck/profile-138.aspx

Thaddeus von Zukotynski (1855-1912) Podolia, Russia (Russian Territory) and died in Chicago. His name was also spelled Tadeusz Zukotynski. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/thaddeus-von-zukotynski/profile-3618.aspx

Edward R. Tyrrell (no dates) from Melbourne, Australia and no death information. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/edward-r-tyrrell/profile-3308.aspx

Robert Schade (1861-1912) from Tarrytown, New York, and died in Milwaukee. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/robert-schade/profile-141.aspx

Theodore Russell Davis (1840-1894) from Boston, Massachusetts and died in Ashbury Park, New Jersey. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/theodore-russell-davis/profile-902.aspx

John Franklin Waldo (1835-1920) from Chelsea, Vermont, and died in Los Angeles, California. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/john-franklin-waldo/profile-181.aspx

Thomas Gardner (1857-1933) from Plano, Illinois and died in Milwaukee. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/thomas-gardner/profile-1226.aspx

Amy Cross (1856-1939) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/amy-cross/profile-867.aspx,

Frank Enders (1860-1921) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/frank-enders/profile-41.aspx,

Amy Boos (1851-1935) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/amy-boos/profile-577.aspx

Andrew Alexander Forbes (1862-1921) from Waukesha, Wisconsin and died in Lampoc, California. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/andrew-alexander-forbes/profile-5746.aspx

William Feld (no dates, birth or death information). http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/william-feld/profile-7699.aspx

Feodor von Luerzer (1851-1913) no birth or death information. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/feodor-von-luerzer/profile-2186.aspx

Charles Clayton Minor (1856-?). There is no birth or death information about Minor, but he also worked with Thomas G. Moses. http://www.wisconsinart.org/archives/artist/charles-clayton-minor/profile-6091.aspx)

There are other panorama artists mentioned in MOWA, but without any pertinent information, and include, Johannes Schulz, Julius Ernst Peege, Mary Grover, Robert F. Gilder, Mrs. C. H. Eileen Henrietta Collins, Josephus Farmer, and Edward J. Herman.

To be continued…