Continuing our journey through the theatrical world, today we will get into the world behind the scenes and find out the meaning of such words as ramp, proscenium, scenery, and also get acquainted with their role in the play.

So, entering the hall, each spectator immediately turns his gaze to the stage.

Scene is: 1) a place where a theatrical performance takes place; 2) a synonym for the word "phenomenon" - a separate part of the action, act of a theatrical play, when the composition actors remains unchanged on stage.

Scene- from the Greek. skene - booth, stage. In the early days of Greek theater, the skene was a cage or tent built behind the orchestra.

Skene, orchectra, theatron are the three fundamental scenographic elements of the ancient Greek performance. The orchestra or playground connected the stage and the audience. The skene developed in height, including the theologeon or playground of the gods and heroes, and on the surface, along with the proscenium, an architectural façade, a forerunner of the wall decorum that would later form the proscenium space. Throughout history, the meaning of the term "stage" has been constantly expanded: the scenery, the playground, the scene of action, the time period during the act, and, finally, in a metaphorical sense, a sudden and bright spectacular event ("setting someone a scene"). But not all of us know that the scene is divided into several parts. It is customary to distinguish between: proscenium, rear stage, upper and lower stages. Let's try to understand these concepts.

Proscenium- the space of the stage between the curtain and the auditorium.

As a playground, the proscenium is widely used in opera and ballet performances. IN drama theaters the proscenium serves as the main setting for the small scenes in front of the closed curtain that connect the scenes of the play. Some directors bring the main action to the fore, expanding the stage area.

The low barrier separating the proscenium from the auditorium is called ramp. In addition, the ramp covers the stage lighting devices from the side of the auditorium. Often this word is also used to refer to the system of theatrical lighting equipment itself, which is placed behind this barrier and serves to illuminate the space of the stage from the front and from below. Spotlights are used to illuminate the stage from the front and from above - a row of lamps located on the sides of the stage.

backstage- the space behind the main stage. The backstage is a continuation of the main stage, used to create the illusion of a great depth of space, and serves as a reserve room for setting the scenery. Furks or a revolving rolling circle with pre-installed decorations are placed on the backstage. The top of the rear stage is equipped with grates with decorative risers and lighting equipment. Warehouses of mounted decorations are placed under the floor of the rear stage.

top stage- a part of the stage box located above the stage mirror and bounded from above by a grate. It is equipped with working galleries and walkways, and serves to accommodate hanging decorations, overhead lighting devices, and various stage mechanisms.

lower stage- a part of the stage box below the tablet, where stage mechanisms, prompter and light control booths, lifting and lowering devices, devices for stage effects are located.

And the stage, it turns out, has a pocket! Side stage pocket- a room for a dynamic change of scenery with the help of special rolling platforms. Side pockets are located on both sides of the stage. Their dimensions make it possible to completely fit on the furka the scenery that occupies the entire playing area of ​​the stage. Usually decorative warehouses adjoin side pockets.

The “furka”, named in the previous definition, along with the “grids” and “shtankets”, is included in the technical equipment of the stage. furka- part of the stage equipment; a mobile platform on rollers, which serves to move parts of the decoration on the stage. The movement of the furca is carried out by an electric motor, manually or with the help of a cable, one end of which is behind the scenes, and the other is attached to the side wall of the furca.

- lattice (wooden) flooring, located above the stage. It serves to install blocks of stage mechanisms, is used for work related to the suspension of performance design elements. The grates communicate with the working galleries and the stage with stationary stairs.

Shtanket- a metal pipe on cables, in which the scenes, details of the scenery are attached.

IN academic theaters all the technical elements of the stage are hidden from the audience by a decorative frame, which includes a curtain, wings, a backdrop and a border.

Entering the hall before the start of the performance, the viewer sees the curtain- a piece of fabric suspended in the area of ​​the stage portal and covering the stage from the auditorium. It is also called "intermission-sliding" or "intermission" curtain.

Intermission-sliding (intermission) curtain is a permanent equipment of the stage, covering its mirror. Moves apart before the start of the performance, closes and opens between acts.

Curtains are sewn from dense dyed fabric with a dense lining, decorated with the emblem of the theater or a wide fringe, hemmed to the bottom of the curtain. The curtain allows you to make the process of changing the situation invisible, to create a feeling of a gap in time between actions. An intermission-sliding curtain can be of several types. The most commonly used Wagnerian and Italian.

Consists of two halves fixed at the top with overlays. Both wings of this curtain open by means of a mechanism that pulls the lower inner corners towards the edges of the stage, often leaving the bottom of the curtain visible to the audience.

Both parts Italian curtain move apart synchronously with the help of cables attached to them at a height of 2-3 meters and pulling the curtain to the upper corners of the proscenium. Above, above the stage, is paduga- a horizontal strip of fabric (sometimes acting as scenery), suspended from a rod and limiting the height of the stage, hiding the upper mechanisms of the stage, lighting fixtures, grate and upper spans above the scenery.

When the curtain opens, the viewer sees the side frame of the stage, made of strips of fabric arranged vertically - this backstage.

Closes the backstage from the audience backdrop- a painted or smooth background made of soft fabric, suspended in the back of the stage.

The scenery of the performance is located on the stage.

Decoration(lat. "decoration") - the artistic design of the action on the theater stage. Creates a visual image of action by means of painting and architecture.

Decoration should be useful, efficient, functional. Among the main functions of the scenery are the illustration and depiction of elements supposedly existing in the dramatic universe, the free construction and change of the scene, considered as a game mechanism.

The creation of scenery and decorative design of the performance is a whole art, which is called scenography. The meaning of this word has changed over time.

The scenography of the ancient Greeks is the art of decorating the theater and the picturesque scenery resulting from this technique. During the Renaissance, scenography was the technique of painting a canvas backdrop. In modern theatrical art, this word represents the science and art of organizing the stage and theatrical space. Actually the scenery is the result of the work of the set designer.

This term is increasingly being replaced by the word "decoration" if there is a need to go beyond the concept of decoration. Scenography marks the desire to be writing in a three-dimensional space (to which one should also add a temporal dimension), and not just the art of decorating the canvas, which the theater was content with up to naturalism.

In the heyday of modern scenography, decorators managed to breathe life into space, enliven time and the actor's performance in the overall creative act, when it is difficult to isolate the director, lighting, actor or musician.

The scenography (decorative equipment of the performance) includes props- the objects of the stage setting that the actors use or manipulate during the course of the play, and props- specially made items (sculptures, furniture, dishes, jewelry, weapons, etc.) used in theatrical performances instead of real things. Props are notable for their cheapness, durability, emphasized expressiveness of the external form. At the same time, props usually refuse to reproduce details that are not visible to the viewer.

Making props is a big industry theater technology, including work with paper pulp, cardboard, metal, synthetic materials and polymers, fabrics, varnishes, paints, mastics, etc. No less diverse is the range of props that require special knowledge in the field of molding, cartoning, finishing and locksmithing, painting fabrics , coinage for metal.

Next time we will learn more about some theatrical professions, whose representatives not only create the performance directly, but also provide its technical support, work with the audience.

The definitions of the terms presented are taken from the websites.

The word "decoration" is most often used to refer to the accessories of the theater, whose purpose is to create the illusion of a place in which the action played on the stage takes place. Therefore, theatrical scenery is for the most part either landscapes or perspective views of streets, squares and the interior of buildings. They are painted on canvas.

The main components of each theatrical scenery are the curtain and backstage. The first is hung in the depths of the stage, stretching across its entire width, and depicts everything that is in the background in the reproduced landscape or perspective; the wings are pieces of linen, narrower in comparison with the curtain, stretched over a wooden binding and cut out at one end in a proper way; they are placed on the sides of the stage in two, three or several rows, one after the other, and represent closer objects, for example. trees, rocks, houses, pilasters and other parts of the scene. The scenery is complemented by subarcs - pieces of canvas stretched at the top across the entire stage and depicting pieces of the sky, upper branches of trees, ceiling vaults, etc. e.g. stones, bridges, cliffs, hanging galleries, stairs, etc.

An artist who is engaged in the execution of theatrical scenery and is called a decorator must possess, in addition to the training necessary for a painter in general, some special knowledge: he needs to perfectly know the rules of linear and aerial perspective, to master a very wide method of writing, to be able to adapt his coloring to fiery lighting, in which stage performances usually take place, and in general to count on the fact that as a result of his work a picturesque setting for the play being played is obtained, not only not harming it with its excessive simplicity or pretentiousness, but contributing to the strength and efficiency of the impression it makes on the viewer.

Having composed a sketch drawing of the scenery, the decorator makes a model for it, that is, a miniature likeness of the scene with a cardboard curtain, backstage and other accessories, so that this model can be used to judge in advance the effect of the future work. After that, proceeding to the execution of the scenery itself, he stretches the canvas of the curtain in a horizontal position on the floor of his workshop, transfers the drawing of the sketch to it in an enlarged form by breaking it into squares, and, finally, starts writing with paints. He does exactly the same when performing backstage and other parts of the scenery. The palette is replaced by a box with cans of various paints diluted with glue; for writing, more or less large brushes made of bristles with long handles are used. During work, he interrupts it every now and then in order to climb the gallery, arranged in the workshop at a certain height from the floor, and look from there at what was written. He usually does not work alone, but together with his students and assistants, to whom he entrusts preparation and secondary parts of the work.

scenery performance sketch dramaturgy


Stage performances were furnished with decorations by the ancient Greeks. As one of the oldest decorators known in history, one can point to Agafarch, who lived approximately in 460-420 years. BC modern times decorative painting developed primarily in Italy, which brought the best masters in this field and to other countries.

Of the Italian decorators in the 18th century, Giovanni Servandoni, who worked for the Royal Opera in Paris, became especially famous. Then the championship in the area under consideration passed to the French. Among them, the theatrical painter Boke showed a remarkable talent; the famous Watteau and Boucher did not hesitate to break away from the performance of their paintings in order to write for the stage. Then, among the French decorators, Degotti, Ciceri, the students of the last Sechan, Desplechin, Fescher and Cambon, Chaperon, Thierry, Rube and Cheret enjoyed loud fame. Outstanding decorators in Germany were Schinkel, Karl Gropius, the Italians Quaglio and I. Hoffmann. In Russia, the needs of the imperial theaters were satisfied at the beginning by visiting Italian decorators - Peresinotti, Quarenghi, Canopy, Gonzaga, and then, in the reign of Nicholas I, German artists Andreas Roller, K. Wagner and others; Only in the second half of the 19th century did decorative painting take the path of independence in Russia thanks to such gifted masters as M.I. Bocharov and M.A. Shishkov, and the establishment of a special class at the Academy of Arts for the study of this branch of art.

Theatrical and decorative art (often also called scenography) is a type of fine art associated with decoration theatrical performance, i.e., the creation of a living environment on the theatrical stage in which the heroes of a dramatic or musical-dramatic work act, as well as the appearance of these heroes themselves. The main elements of theatrical and decorative art - scenery, lighting, props and props, costumes and make-up of actors - constitute a single artistic whole, expressing the meaning and nature of the stage action, subordinate to the concept of the performance. Theatrical and decorative art is closely connected with the development of the theatre. Stage performances without elements of artistic and visual design are an exception.

The basis of the artistic design of the performance is the scenery depicting the place and time of the action. The specific form of scenery (composition, color scheme, etc. is determined not only by the content of the action, but also by its external conditions (more or less rapid changes in the scene of action, the peculiarities of the perception of the scenery from the auditorium, its combination with certain lighting, etc.) "The image embodied on the stage is initially created by the artist in a sketch or layout. The path from a sketch to a layout and stage design is associated with the search for the greatest expressiveness of the scenery and its artistic completeness. In the work of the best theater artists, a sketch is important not only for the working plan of stage design, but and relatively independent work of art.


Theatrical scenery includes the framing of the stage, a special curtain (or curtains), a visual solution for the stage space of the stage, backstage, background, etc. The ways of depicting the living environment on the stage are diverse. In the traditions of Russian realistic art, pictorial solutions prevail. At the same time, written planar elements are usually combined with built ones (volumetric or semi-volumetric) into an integral image that creates the illusion of a single spatial environment of action. But the basis of the scenery can also be figurative and expressive constructions, projections, draperies, screens, etc., as well as a combination of various methods of representation. The development of stage technique and the expansion of representational methods do not, however, cancel the significance of painting as the basis of theatrical and decorative art in general. The choice of image method in each individual case is determined by the specific content, genre and style of the work embodied on the stage.

character costumes, created by the artist in unity with the scenery, characterize the social, national, individual characteristics of the heroes of the play. They correspond in color to the scenery (“fit” into big picture), and in a ballet performance they also have a special “dance” specificity (they must be comfortable and light and emphasize dance movements). With the help of lighting, not only a clear visibility (visibility, “readability”) of the scenery is achieved, but also different seasons and days are depicted , illusions of natural phenomena (snow, rain, etc.). Color lighting effects are able to create a feeling of a certain emotional atmosphere of a stage action.

Theatrical and decorative art changes with development artistic culture generally. It depends on the prevailing artistic style, on the type of dramaturgy, on the state of the fine arts, as well as on the arrangement of theater premises and stages, on lighting techniques, and many other concrete historical conditions.

Theatrical and decorative art in Russia reached a high level of development at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, when outstanding artists came to the theater. They brought a great pictorial culture to the design of performances, achieved the artistic integrity of the stage action, the organic participation of fine art in it, the unity of scenery, lighting and costumes with dramaturgy and music. These were artists who first worked at the Mammoth Opera (V. M. Vasnetsov, V. D. Polenov, M. A. Vrubel, etc.), then in the Moscow Art Theater(V. A. Simov and others), in imperial musical theaters(K. A. Korovin, A. Ya. Golovin), Diaghilev's "Russian Seasons" (A. N. Benois, L. S. Bakst, N. K. Roerich and others).

A powerful stimulus for the development of theatrical and decorative art was given by the creative search for advanced stage direction (K. S. Stanislavsky, V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko, V. E. Meyerhold, choreographers M. M. Fokin and A. A. Gorsky).


Literature

E. Zmoiro. Scenery model for the performance of the Central children's theater"Skates" based on the play by S. V. Mikhalkov. 1976.

In order for the production to be successful, it is important not only to choose the right actors. The atmosphere on the stage is also created by the scenery. We can say that the scenery is as old as theatrical art, because even at the first production they used different props.

Hard and soft scenery

Decorations are of two types:

  • tough.

Rigid structures are conditionally divided into flat and voluminous, but in fact there are much more varieties. The scenery can be played and used by the actors during the performance. For example, various stairs, fences, tables can be used during staging. Unplayed decorations simply serve as a static background and create an atmosphere, an entourage.

Rigid decorations are made mainly from wood and duralumin. For wooden structures, inexpensive but durable softwood is chosen. In some cases, it is appropriate to use light metals in the production of decorations.

Soft decorations are produced from fabrics, they can be smooth, draped, picturesque or contain applications. Velvet, canvas and tulle are the most popular materials on stage. Also today, synthetics and non-woven materials are used for the production of products. They are practical and create the desired effect.

There are many ways to create theatrical scenery, they have been developed over the centuries. Today, nothing fundamentally new is being created in scenography - everything has already been thought out in advance. However, new materials and technologies appear in the art of decoration.

The scenery on the stage, as a rule, is multi-layered. This is not only the background behind the actors, but also all the necessary equipment. The scenery even includes the curtain and backstage.

inventory requirements

Quality decorations meet several important requirements. It is important that they can be easily assembled and disassembled without losing the properties of the materials. There are products that are difficult to make, but ideally, decorations should be easy to manufacture. Then, in the event of a breakdown, the product can be quickly restored.

Decorations need to be stored, and it is desirable that they do not take up too much space. Therefore, among the important qualities of structures are portability and mobility. Also, the decorations should be light and durable. This is not always possible in the production of hard props. However, soft decorations meet these requirements by 100%. To make them even lighter, modern materials were used for decorations.

Decorations have been used on stage for many years. In addition, they can be temporarily placed in a warehouse and even transported to other cities. Therefore, such strict requirements are imposed on products.

If the design is not practical, then its operation will require regular expenses. The scenery will have to be repaired, disassembled, and transportation ordered under special conditions. It is possible that such equipment is used in theaters, but in rare cases when there is no alternative.

Practical decorations do not require extra costs and do not lose their properties for many years. In some cases, when manufacturing a product, it is worth overpaying and ordering a structure from more expensive materials if this will extend its service life. However, with the advent of synthetics and non-woven materials, theaters can no longer overpay for the production of scenery.

How the scenery is made

Decorations are created according to a preliminary sketch. Sketches are made by working through each of the scenes in detail. All the details are taken into account. The main decoration in the scenes is the background, after which there are objects for the entourage surrounding the participants in the action. The scenographer begins to work with ready-made sketches, he creates a preliminary layout. A model is not yet a decoration, it is only a model.

By creating a layout, you can determine how accurately the size of the product is determined. In some cases, adjustments have to be made. That is why the scenery is created only after the production of a trial layout. The design is applied by the artist, whose actions are monitored by the director.

After preparing the layout, the product is sent to a specialized workshop where decorations are produced. Here they create the final product - a product that will decorate the stage. The model that is sent for production is usually a smaller copy of the scenery. The masters are faced with the task of reproducing the design in an enlarged size. Soft theatrical scenery is sometimes no easier to create than hard ones - it all depends on the features of the product. Some decorations have many complex elements.

A theatrical production is created from a huge number of important elements, among which are not only a play and acting by artists. No less important for the success of the performance and scenery, the main role of which is to create space for the action taking place on the stage. Theatrical scenery is an indispensable attribute of any production, which gives it a special charm.

What role do theatrical scenery play in theatrical and decorative art

Theatrical and decorative art, otherwise called scenography, is one of the specific types of fine art. Its main purpose is to visualize the environment in which the events in the performance take place, and appearance actors. For this purpose, theatrical scenery and costumes of heroes are created. No less important are such design elements as proper lighting and props. All these means are combined into a single whole, conveying the nature of the action and the idea of ​​the whole performance. We can say that the creation of theatrical scenery has the same ancient history like the theater itself. Decoration very quickly became a constant attribute of theatrical performances, and now we can hardly imagine a performance on an empty stage.

Decoration should create an image of the place and time to which the action in the performance refers. The composition of theatrical scenery, their color scheme and other characteristics depend on many factors. In addition to the content, these include the speed of changing the scene, the features of the perception of objects on the stage from the point of view of the audience, the possibilities and features of lighting, and much more.

Before the stage space is designed, it is necessary to create sketches of theatrical scenery. It is at this stage that all the details of future scenery are worked out in order to achieve the greatest expressiveness and integrity. As for the masters of scenography, their sketches are considered not only as a basis for stage design, but also as an independent piece of art, characterized by the author's style and originality.

theatrical scenery consists of many parts. These are framing elements, and a curtain, and objects on the stage, as well as backstage, background, etc. Theatrical scenery is created in several ways, in particular with the help of images and three-dimensional details. In Russian realism, pictorial elements are predominant. It is very important that planar elements and volumetric objects together create a coherent and vivid picture of the scene. In addition to the main, traditional ways of depicting the environment, new and modern ones are emerging. Among them are projections, screens, draperies and much more. However, modern methods of stage design have not supplanted painting, which is present in one way or another in almost any scenery. The variety of forms of creating reality only allows specialists to choose the most appropriate ones according to the content and style of the performance.

No less important are the costumes, thanks to which the images of the characters are created. The possibilities of the costume are very wide: it can tell about the social affiliation of the hero, his nationality, profession and some character traits. In terms of style and color design, the costumes should have something in common with theatrical scenery. In ballet performances, they are also subject to a practical task, they must be comfortable and suitable for dance movements.

The main types of theatrical scenery

Allocate two kinds scenery for theatrical productions: hard and soft.

hard scenery also divided into a huge number of varieties. First of all, they are voluminous, semi-voluminous and flat. There are also distinguished scenery that is played with, with which the actors interact during the performance (pieces of furniture, stairs, trees, etc.), and not played, which only serve as a background.

Theatrical scenery of this type is made mainly from coniferous wood. This material is characterized by a fairly low price, as well as wide possibilities in terms of processing to create certain items (painting, pasting, etc.). Also, if necessary, metal structures are used. For example, steel and duralumin pipes are widely used. They allow you to create the contours of complex patterns (both planar and volumetric), stairs and decorative machines. In this case, the use of metal is practically the only way to create decorations. Among other things, metal objects are lighter in weight.

soft scenery are divided into picturesque, applique, draped and smooth.

The variety of materials used is very wide: almost all types of fabrics are used. Theatrical scenery is made from canvas, velvet and tulle. Synthetic and non-woven materials are also actively used.

The basic techniques and rules according to which theatrical scenery is created were developed at the dawn of this art. Today, the basis of most hard scenery is still a decorative frame, invented more than a century ago. With its help, a huge number of design elements are created, in particular walls and ceilings. The principles of sewing backs and backstage have also changed little.

There are many ways to create theatrical scenery, and it is not possible to describe each of them. The search for new techniques for stage design does not stop to this day. Although, of course, all innovations are based on the principles and schemes that have been developed and put into practice by the long history of the theater.

What are theatrical scenery depending on the content

  1. narrative

Such theatrical scenery implies the creation by the artist of a real space for the actions of the characters. Thanks to him, the stage becomes the place where the characters of the play live and act.

  1. metaphorical

This type of scenery does not include specific pieces of furniture or the space surrounding the characters, but it helps to convey the spirit and character of the production. A specialist strives for this goal by creating plastic metaphors. Exist different ways creating metaphorical scenery and opportunities for their interaction with characters.

  1. Picturesque

This name means not a visual characteristic of theatrical scenery, but the fact that painting is the main way to create them. For the most part, these will be flat scenery, on which the artist applies different images. Firstly, it may be an attempt to depict a real space (landscape or interior) without the use of three-dimensional elements. Secondly, it can be some kind of conditional background, one way or another suitable for the meaning and idea of ​​the performance. art can help with minimal means, but at the same time convey the spirit of what is happening on the stage as accurately as possible with the help of background images.

  1. Constructivist

Some modern performances are very suitable for theatrical scenery of the constructivist type. They do not depict the space of action in the traditional sense, but only provide a certain structure for the actors. For example, it can be several platforms of different heights, between which the characters will move using ladders.

  1. architectural and spatial

In such scenery, the stage space is the most important element. The design installed on the stage treats it as a neutral background. In this case, the action focuses on the structure itself, which at the same time makes the most of the depth of the scene.

  1. dynamic

In many ways, dynamic theatrical scenery is similar to architectural and spatial, since in both cases the basis is movement. However, they distinguish separate view scene space design, called dynamic, based on such a criterion as a function of movement. In the previous type of scenery, the movement is designed to unfold a single installation in front of the viewer, and in this type it is understood that the movement is the central means of expression on which the entire performance is based.

  1. light

In general, light transforms any theatrical scenery, so mastering this tool in scenography is very important. However, professionals understand that light can act not only as an auxiliary tool that helps to correctly present the design of the scene. In some cases, it can play one of the leading roles along with other design methods. So you can talk about "decorations", the means of creating which are lighting equipment.

  1. projection

Modern theaters use theatrical scenery created with the help of special equipment. In this case, it is not the skill of the artist and architect that comes to the fore, but the quality of the projection equipment and screen. Their advantage is the ability to completely replace the volumetric decoration.

  1. Gaming

This type of theatrical scenery arose a very long time ago, when theater as an art form was in its infancy. The heroes of that time were wandering actors who showed their performances at various city venues. Naturally, they could not create a complete and integral stage design. The basis of the scenery were items that are part of the plot action. The actors themselves brought them to the stage, changed them, improvised with objects, etc.

  1. Off-ramp

This is a kind of subspecies of game scenery, designed for off-ramp performances. It is implied that stage space is in the auditorium. In its pure form, this form of decoration is not often used. Different kinds stage design intersect and interact, each time creating something original, so the primary properties of various means can be difficult to analyze. However, it is worth highlighting the various forms of theatrical scenery in order to show the variety of stage design techniques.

Decoration

Since ancient times, it has been important decorative painting, constituting a special branch of art, in the history of which its development followed the movement of easel painting, painting paintings. It sometimes includes the same works that this latter delivers, if only they are executed on the walls and plafonds of a building mainly for an ornamental purpose (wall and plafond painting, frescoes); but its main element is ornaments in strict sense words, that is, beautiful combinations of geometric lines and figures, as well as forms of the plant and animal kingdom, fantasized or unchanged (for example, wall paintings in the houses of Pompeii, Moorish arabesques of the Alhambra, grotesques of the Raphael lodges in the Vatican, etc.). The motifs of decorative painting changed depending on the historical course of culture and art in different peoples, from the taste and architectural style that prevailed at the time. The French came into use in the 19th century with the name decorative arts (fr. l'art decoratif) for various branches of handicraft industries that need the help of art, such as the manufacture of elegant furniture, carpets, lace, glass and pottery, jewelry, bronze, wallpaper and other luxury and comfort items - in a word, for everything that is customary among the Germans call Kleinkünste or Kunstgewerbe and in Russia applied art or art industry.

theatrical scenery

The word "decoration" is most often used to refer to the accessories of the theater, which have as their purpose to produce the illusion of a place in which the action played out on the stage takes place. Therefore, theatrical scenery is for the most part either landscapes or perspective views of streets, squares and the interior of buildings. They are painted on canvas. The main components of each theatrical scenery - veil And backstage. The first is hung in the depths of the stage, stretching across its entire width, and depicts everything that is in the background in the reproduced landscape or perspective; the wings are pieces of linen, narrower in comparison with the curtain, stretched over a wooden binding and cut out at one end in a proper way; they are placed on the sides of the stage in two, three or several rows, one after the other, and represent closer objects, for example. trees, rocks, houses, pilasters and other parts of the scene. Decorations are complementary subarcs- pieces of canvas stretched at the top across the entire stage and depicting pieces of the sky, the upper branches of trees, ceiling vaults, etc., as well as praticable- various wooden scaffolds and scaffolds disguised with a painted canvas, placed on the stage and representing, for example, stones, bridges, spurs of rocks, hanging galleries, stairs, etc.

An artist engaged in the performance of theatrical scenery and called decorator, must possess, in addition to the training necessary for a painter in general, some special knowledge: he must know perfectly the rules of linear and aerial perspective, master a very wide method of writing, be able to adapt his coloring to the fiery lighting in which stage performances usually take place, and in general count on the fact that as a result of his work a picturesque setting for the play being played is obtained, not only not harming it with its excessive simplicity or pretentiousness, but contributing to the strength and efficiency of the impression it makes on the viewer. Having composed a sketch drawing of decorations, the decorator makes for her layout, that is, a miniature likeness of a stage with a cardboard curtain, backstage and other accessories, so that this model can be used to judge in advance the effect of a future work. After that, proceeding to the execution of the scenery itself, he stretches the canvas of the curtain in a horizontal position on the floor of his workshop, transfers to it (with charcoal or a special kind of ink) the drawing of the sketch in an enlarged form by breaking it into squares, and, finally, starts writing with paints. He does exactly the same when performing backstage and other parts of the scenery. The palette is replaced by a box with cans of various paints diluted with glue; for writing, more or less large brushes made of bristles with long handles are used. During work, he interrupts it every now and then in order to climb the gallery, arranged in the workshop at a certain height from the floor, and look from there at what was written. He usually does not work alone, but together with his students and assistants, to whom he entrusts preparation and secondary parts of the work.

Stage performances were furnished with decorations by the ancient Greeks (scenography). As one of the oldest decorators known in history, one can point to Agafarch, who lived approximately in 460-420. BC In recent times, decorative painting has developed primarily in Italy, which brought the best masters in this part and other countries. Of the Italian decorators in the 18th century, Giovanni Servandoni, who worked for the Royal Opera in Paris, became especially famous. Then the championship in the area under consideration passed to the French. Among them, the theatrical painter Boke showed a remarkable talent; the famous Watteau and Boucher did not hesitate to break away from the performance of their paintings in order to write for the stage. Then, among the French decorators, Degotti, Ciceri, the students of the last Séchamp, Desplechin, Fescher and Cambon, Chaperon, Thierry, Rube and Cheret enjoyed loud fame. Outstanding decorators in Germany were Schinkel, Karl Gropius, the Italians Quaglio (Domenico, his brother Simon and son Angelo) and I. Hoffmann. In Russia, the needs of the imperial theaters were satisfied at the beginning by visiting Italian decorators - Peresinotti, Quarenghi, Canopy, Gonzaga, and then, in the reign of Nicholas I, German artists Andreas Roller, K. Wagner and others; only in the second half of the 19th century did decorative painting take the path of independence in Russia thanks to such gifted masters as M. I. Bocharov and M. A. Shishkov, and the establishment of a special class at the Academy of Arts for the study of this branch of art.


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    decoration- and, well. decoration f. 1. archit. Architectural, sculptural, pictorial, etc. decoration of a building. Sl. 18. The master will also be observed the drawing, or profile, given by the architect, so as not to lose even a small proportion, because in that there is the best building ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

    - (Middle Ages Latin, from Latin decor decoration). Images and pictures painted in a special way and placed on the theater stage in order to give it the appearance of the place where the action should take place. Dictionary of foreign words included in ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian languageDictionary Ushakov

    DECORATION, and, wives. A picturesque, three-dimensional or architectural image of the place and atmosphere of the stage action, installed on the stage, film set. | adj. decorative, oh, oh. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949… … Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

    female, lat. decorations, embellishments, furnishings; at the theatre: view, area of ​​performance Decorative, relating to the scenery. Decorator male. an artist who paints scenery, views from afar, decorations, decorations, furnishings. Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dal… Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

    In the broad sense of the word, any artistic decoration of an object or room. Hence the verb: decorate to produce artistic decoration, and the adjective decorative, applied in the language of architecture, as opposed to the term ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

    Showcase. Jarg. business Deliberate increase in the amount of profits in the balance sheet to hide the poor financial condition of the enterprise. BS, 44 ... Big dictionary of Russian sayings