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The Origins of the Box Set in the Late 18th Century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2010

Briant Hamor Lee
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Extract

One of the commonly propagated and accepted myths in 19th century theatre history relates to the origin of the box set. The impulse to name Madame Vestris and the first production of Dion Boucicault's London Assurance originates from broadly disseminated misinformation. Two contemporary American theatre historians have written extensively and with seeming authority on the origins of the box set: John H. McDowell and Orville K. Larson. McDowell in his article, “Historical Development of the Box Set,” established the basis for the wide acceptance of the Madame Vestris myth and is commonly quoted in support of that argument.

Type
Research Article
Information
Theatre Survey , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , November 1977 , pp. 44 - 59
Copyright
Copyright © American Society for Theatre Research 1977

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References

NOTES

1 This article is based on a Contributed Paper in Criticism and Theatre History presented at the Speech Communication Association meetings, New York City, 11 November 1973. It is the result of a Faculty Research Associateship, which I held at Bowling Green State University during the summer of 1976. The material is derived from my dissertation, “Contributions of Pierre Patte and Paolo Landriani to European Neo-Classic Theatre Architecture,” Michigan State University, text and translation copyrighted 30 June 1971, reproduced with permission.

2 John H. McDowell, “Historical Development of the Box Set,” The Theatre Annual, III (1945), 65-83; cf. William A. Armstrong, “Madame Vestris: A Centenary Appreciation,” Theatre Annual, XIV (1956), 11-18 plus plates.

3 Orville K. Larson, “A commentary on the ‘Historical Development of the Box Set’,” The Theatre Annual, XIII (1955), 28-36; cf. Armstrong above; also: Hollis Huston, “Macready's Richelieu Promptbooks: Evolution of the Enclosed Setting,” Theatre Studies, OSUTRI (1974-75); this study merely confuses the matter while contributing little new content.

4 Lee, op. cit.

5 Paolo Landriani, Osservazioni sui Difetti Prodotti nei Teatri dalla Cattiva Costruzioni del Palco Scenico (Milan, 1818).

6 Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker, Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Kunstler von Antike bis zur gegenwart (Leipsic, 1828).

7 Carlo Ferrari, La Scenografla (Milan, 1902), p. 128.

8 Enciclopedia dello Spettacolo, pp. 1204-1206.

9 Ibid.

10 Ferrari, loc. cit.

11 Enciclopedia dello Spettacolo, loc. cit.

12 Ibid.

13 Landriani, op.cit.

14 Enciclopedia dello Spettacolo, pp. 1609-1610.

15 Landriani, op.cit., Chapter II.

16 Ibid.

17 Ibid.

18 Ibid.

19 Ibid.

20 Ibid.

21 The table (Tavola) and figure (Figura) numbers refer to Landriani's original work and are shown in the accompanying photographic plates.

22 Carlo Gatti, Il Teatro alia Scala nella Storia e nell' Arte: 1778-1963 (Milan, 1964); cf. Carlo Nianello, Teatri. Spettacoli, Musiche nei Secoli Scorsi (Milan, 1941).

23 Lee, op.cit.

24 From this point onward Landriani speaks as though you are systematically drawing a copy of the plate to which he is referring.

25 Landriani refers to the painted grand drape then in use at the Teatro alia Scala.

26 This reference is the basis for photographically using mirror image side walls in the accompanying box set models.

27 Landriani avoids the problem of running the ceiling design down the rear wall to meet the cornice. He makes further design suggestions in his next chapter to correct this problem.

28 For discussion of the type of lighting and lighting instruments suggested here, see Briant Hamor Lee, “Pierre Patte, Late 18th Century Lighting Innovator,” Theatre Survey (November 1974), and the dissertation cited above.