The Seventy-second FIGURE.
Of Scenes for the Stage.
Scenes for the Stage have very much Affinity with those lately describ’d, but the Point of Sight is not so easily found in these; and from the Obliquity of the Grooves in which the Scenes run, it comes to pass, that the right Lines which ought to appear parallel to the Line of the Plan, must not be drawn parallel thereto, but oblique; which is a Work of some Difficulty. This indeed may be avoided, by fixing the Grooves parallel to the Poscene; as is usual in some Places, especially in Germany. Nevertheless, the Italian Manner has this Advantage; That those who are employ’d to prompt the Actors, and shift the Scenes, &c. are less expos’d to Sight, in the Performance of their Business.
In this Figure I have given you an Abridgment of those things, which shall hereafter be more enlarg’d on. The Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, denote the Area of a Hall an hundred and twenty Roman Palms in Length, and sixty in Breadth; as is manifest from the Scale of thirty Palms mark’d S. Half this Space is taken up by the Stage, the other half by the Spectators. O is the Point in which the visual Lines concenter. D is the Place of those things that are to appear most remote. BC is the Place of the Poscene. HH are the oblique Grooves, whose Lengths are double the Breadth of the Scenes. FG is the Front of the Stage. AO is its Depth or Length. E is the Place for the Musick. K is the Room for Spectators. I is the Plan of the Galleries. L the Stairs to the same. N is the Elevation of the Galleries. M shews the Declivity of the Floor, with the Section and Elevation of the Stage and Scenes view’d on the Side; answering their respective Grooves, as the occult Lines demonstrate. OO is a Line perpendicular to that of the Horizon. P and Q are the Elevation of the Scenes view’d in Front, turning inwards, in Breadth agreeing with the Length of the Grooves of the Plan B; and in Height answering that of the Sections of the Elevation M; as is evident from the occult Lines. In this Profile M, part of the Height belongs to the Scenes, and part to their Soffites, or Ceilings, R; where each Pair of these Frames are join’d. VV are the Lines by which is espy’d what Vacancy there is either between the Scenes and their Ceilings, between the Scenes themselves, or between their respective Ceilings; though in some Scenes the Place of these last is supply’d by painting therein the Air with Clouds, &c.
Fig. lxxiii.