Artificial Light: Its Influence upon CivilizationLuckiesh, Matthew
History
Artificial Light: Its Influence upon Civilization
Luckiesh, Matthew
Electric lighting; Lighting -- History
In much of the foregoing discussion the present predominating theatrical
productions are not considered, for the lighting effects are good enough
for them. Many ingenious tricks and devices are resorted to in these
productions, and as a whole lighting is serving effectively enough. But
in considering the expressiveness of light the deeper play is the medium
necessary for utilizing the potentiality of light. These are rare and
unfortunately the stage artist appreciative of the significations and
emotional value of light and color is still rarer.
The equipment of the present stage consists of footlights, side-lights,
border-lights, flood-lights, spot-lights, and much special apparatus.
One of the severest criticisms of stage-lighting from an artistic point
of view may be directed against the use of footlights for obtaining the
dominant light. This is directed upward and the effect is an unnatural
and even a grotesque modeling of the actors' features. The shadows
produced are incongruous, for they are opposed to the other real and
painted effects of light and shade. The only excuse for such lighting is
that it is easily done and that proper lighting is difficult to obtain,
owing to the fact that it involves a change in construction. By no means
should the footlights be abandoned, for they would still be invaluable
in obtaining diffused light even when the dominant light is directed
from above the horizontal. In the present stage-lighting, in which the
footlights generally predominate, the expressiveness of light is not
satisfactory. Perhaps they are a necessary compromise, but inasmuch as
their effect is unnatural they should not be accepted until it is
thoroughly proved that ingenuity cannot eliminate the present defects.
The stage as a whole is a mobile picture in light, shade, and color with
the addition of words and music. Excepting the latter, it is an
expression of light worthy of the same care and consideration that the
painting, which is also an expression of light, receives from the
artist. The scenery and costumes should be considered in terms of the
lighting effects because they are affected by changes in the color of
the light. In fact, the author showed a number of years ago that by
carefully relating the colors of the light with the colors used in
painting the scenery, a complete change of scene can be obtained by
merely changing the color of the light. Rather wonderful dissolving
effects can be produced in this manner without shifting scenery. For
example, a warm summer scene with trees in full foliage under a yellow
light may be changed under a bluish light to a winter scene with ground
covered with snow and trees barren of leaves. But before such
accomplishments can be realized upon the stage, scientific knowledge
must be available behind the scenes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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