Nineteenth-century theatrical scenery

Theatre in the nineteenth century was noted for its changing philosophy from the Romanticism and Neoclassicism that dominated Europe since the late 18th century to Realism and Naturalism in the latter half of the 19th century before it eventually gave way to the rise of Modernism in the 20th century. Scenery in theater at the time closely mirrored these changes and, with the onset of the Industrial Revolution and technological advancement throughout the century, dramatically changed the aesthetics of the theater.

Theatrical realism was a general movement in 19th-century theatre from the time period of 1870-1960 that developed a set of dramatic and theatrical conventions with the aim of bringing a greater fidelity of real life to texts and performances. Part of a broader artistic movement, it included a focus on everyday middle-class drama, ordinary speech, and simple settings. This idea of representing subject matter truthfully, was evident in the changes that were made to scenic design in theater. Theatrical designers and directors began meticulously researching historical accuracy for their productions, which meant that scenery could no longer be drawn from stock - which was typically used over and over again in generic settings for different shows. Scenery began to be custom-designed and made for specific production. This meant, while scenery used to be seen as capital investment, it was not considered to be more disposable when the production was removed from the repertory.

One of the most important scenic transition into the century was from the often-used two-dimensional scenic backdrop to three-dimensional sets. Previously, as a two-dimensional environment, scenery did not provide an embracing, physical environment for the dramatic action happening on stage. This changed when three-dimensional sets were introduced in the first half of the century. This, coupled with change in audience and stage dynamic as well as advancement in theater architecture that allowed for hidden scene changes, the theater became more representational instead of presentational, and invited audience to be transported to a conceived 'other' world.

The epitome of the new three-dimensional style sets and one of the most important advancement of scenic design was the popularization of the box set. The box set has been around since the 17th century, but lacked support.Madame Vestris had introduced realistic stage furnishing in 1836 at her little Olympic Theatre in London, and forced them on American managers when she toured that country in 1838-1839. The box set was a gradual replacement of the painted wing-and-shutter sets. Between 1800 and 1875, many theater artists began to use them. A box set consists of flats hinged together to represent a room; it often has practicable elements, such as doors and windows, which can be used during the course of a play or show. With the new pursuit of realism, room-like box settings now had heavy molding, real doors with doorknobs, and ample accurate furniture. Having the box set also meant that many theater artists began to stage all the action behind the proscenium in the late 1800s, thus reinforcing the illusion of a fourth wall. Audiences would be watching a “slice of life” through a window. Box sets allowed scenic designers to create better visualized atmospheres and moods.

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