The
Conferences of the Traditional Paint Forum:
1995
The First Annual Conference
‘What is Traditional Paint?’
(Inaugural
Conference)
The Georgian Group, 6 Fitzroy Square, London 1995
The first conference of the recently established
Traditional Paint Forum was held at the new headquarters of the
Georgian Group in a fine Adam terrace in London.
‘What is traditional paint?’ was the questioned raised
at the conference. A variety of speakers ranging from curators,
analysts, paint manufacturers, housepainters and conservators
explored this theme and the history and development of house paints.
A range of practical demonstrations, including analytical techniques
and painting techniques and materials was also provided.
A highly entertaining after-dinner lecture was provided by Jocasta
Innes
1996
The Second Annual Conference
‘The Victorian Dwelling’
held at the Institute of Advanced Architectural
Studies, University of York,
York 1-2 November 1996
The
Traditional Paint Forum is indebted to the Institute of Advanced
Architectural Studies at the University of York who provided the
venue of the Forum’s second conference.
Many
of us live in Victorian houses and may wish to establish how they
were originally decorated. The conference considered all aspects
of the decoration of the ordinary house during the nineteenth
century and asked how we should be decorating them today.
Programme
1 November 1996
-Welcome and Announcements, Richard Ireland
-The Victorian Dwelling, Peter Hood
-The Needs of the Building Fabric, Alan Gardner
-Victorian Traditions and Available Materials, Patrick Baty
-Painters and Tradesmen, Patrick Baty
-David Ramsey Hay, Ian Gow
-The Investigation of Victorian Decorative Schemes: Illustrated
Case Studies,
Helen Hughes
-A Victorian House in America, Jack Braunlein
-‘Compositions’, Ivan Hall
2 November 1996
-Paint Manufacture and Processes, Peter Hood
-Paint Application, Kevin Howell
-The Housepainter and Decorative Painting, Paul Humphries and
John Nevin
-Restoration or Replication, Kevin McCloud
-Statutory Considerations, Giles Proctor
-Practical Experience of Recreating Victorian Schemes, Dr Ian
Bristow
-Open Forum Discussion
1997 The Third Annual Conference
‘The Redecoration of Adam Interiors’
Syon Park, Middlesex
7-8 November
1997
The
two-day conference was organised in collaboration with the Georgian
Group.
This examined Robert Adam painted interiors and
how they are presented. It took place in the magnificent Syon
House, the London home of the Dukes of Northumberland famous for
its Adam interiors.
Programme
7 November 1997
Paint Materials & Technology
-Plaster Substrates in the Eighteenth Century, Richard Ireland
-Eighteenth-century Distempers and Oilpaints, Peter Hood
-Eighteenth-century Pigments, Patrick Baty
-A Practical Demonstration of the Manufacture and Application
of Paint,
John Nevin & Paul Humphreys
-Recent Use of Tradtional Distempers and Lead-based Oilpaints,
Dr Ian Bristow
8 November 1997
The Redecoration of Adam Interiors
-Historical Background, Prof. Alistair Rowan
-Syon House, Richard Pailthorpe
-Adam Revivals, Ian Gow
-Robert Adam in the Hands of John Fowler, Peter Hood
-Historical Research on Adam Interiors, Eileen Harris
-Osterley House, Anthea Palmer &Tina Sitwell
(Guided tour of Syon House)
-The Lansdowne House Drawing Room in
the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Marigene Butler
-The Drum, No.8 Queen Street, Edinburgh, James Simpson
-The Entrance Hall, Kenwood House, Helen Hughes
-The Worth of Robert Adam’s Drawings, Dr Ian Bristow
1998
The Fourth Annual Conference
‘Paint in the Jazz Age’
Tradition and Change in the Early 20th Century
Eltham Palace,
6
November 1998
The
one day conference was organised with the kind collaboration of
English Heritage.
The recently-restored interiors of Eltham Palace
provided the venue for the Forum’s Fourth Annual Conference.
The subject this year was a consideration of the ‘traditional
paints’ and tastes of the early twentieth century.
Programme
-Building in the ‘Jazz Age’, Alan Powers
-The Courtaulds and Eltham Palace, Dr Michael Turner
-Eltham Palace: the 1930’s Restoration, Iain McLaren
-Paint in the 1930’s with Reference to Eltham Palace, Patrick
Baty
-A Comparative Study of White Pigments used in the ‘Jazz
Age’, Peter Hood
-Tour of the Palace
-The Manufacturing Process in the 1930’s, Colin Mitchell
Rose
-The Art and Craft of the Painter: Developments, Memories and
Anecdotes,
Mike Pryor
-Pavilion and Pullman Court, Helen Hughes
-Lutyens: the Lighter Side, 13 Mansfield Street, London, Dr Ian
Bristow
1999
The Fifth Annual Conference
'Kelmarsh Hall 1926-1954'
The Presentation of Historic Houses before
and after the Second World War
Kelmarsh Hall, Northampton
19-20 November 1999
The conference and workshop was organised in collaboration
with the Kelmarsh Hall Preservation Trust.
The house and grounds of Kelmarsh Hall provided
a beautiful location for the Forum’s Fifth Annual Conference.
The interiors of the Hall, last decorated by Nancy Lancaster and
John Fowler, served as a focus point for a wider discussion of
the presentation of historic houses before and after the Second
World War. The two-day conference discussed decorative painting
techniques and the materials used and the legacy of the period
on today’s historic interiors.
Programme
19 November 1999
-Introduction to Kelmarsh Hall, Phillip Hartley & Peter Scott
-The Nancy Lancaster and John Fowler Objective, Peter Hood
-‘As it might have been but never was’ – English
Country House Style, Louise Ward
-The Kelmarsh Craftsmen of the 1950's, Marienne Suhr
-The Kelmarsh Conservation Plan, George Feruson
-An Investigation of the Painted Decoration at Kelmarsh, Ian Bristow
-Conservation Legislation, Ian Bristow
-The Signifigance of John Fowler - Discussion
-Practical Demonstrations: Jim Smart and Owen Turville
-Video – ‘Nancy Lancaster’
20 November 1999
-The Recreation of the Plasterwork , Jeff Orton
-Materials of the Period – Today’s Options, Patrick
Baty
-An Introduction to the Practical Sessions, Alan Gardner
-Practial Sessions
-Materials and Techniques used by John Fowler Greenings of Donaster
-Concluding discussion led by Ian Bristow
2000
Special Conference
'Inspired by the Past'
'Inspired by the Past'
John Fowler’s Approach to Decoration and Restoration in a
Changing World
London Scientific Studies Lecture Theatre, Savile Row, London
4 July 2001
English Heritage and the T
raditional Paint Forum
collaborated to host a one-day conference to discuss the work
of John Fowler (1906-1997), the eminent interior decorator. He
is remembered as one of the founder members of the influential
firm Colefax & Fowler. In the course of his career Fowler
had a dramatic impact on contemporary styles and the presentation
of historic buildings. His interpretation of interiors has become
a recognised period style in its own right and it is in this context
that a range of speakers discussed his career, methods and lasting
legacy.
Programme
-Welcome and Announcements, Helen Hughes
-Opening Address: The legacy of John Fowler, Sir Neil Cossons
-Working with John Fowler, Peter Inskip
-English Country House Style, Louise Ward
-Fowler and the National Trust, Tim Knox
-Recent Investigations of Fowler’s Schemes, Tina Sitwell
-‘Inspired by the Past’, Patrick Baty
-Colour in Historic Houses in Public Ownership, Dr Ian Bristow
-Fowler’s Work at Kelmarsh Hall, Marianne Suhr
-Conversation with the Painter: Recreating a Fowler Scheme (video
footage)
Ken Cowens, Frank Garbutt & Tom Greening
-The Hall at Kelmarsh, Dr Ian Bristow
-Presenting the Historic Interior, Julian Harrap
2001 The Sixth Annual Conference
‘Coming out in their True Colours
19th Century Polychrome Decoration
The BP Lecture Theatre, The British Museum, London
9 November 2001
The springboard for the conference was the recent
restoration of the original 1840’s scheme of the polychrome
decoration in the Entrance Hall of the British Museum together
with the 1850’s colouring and gilding of the Reading Room
in the Great Court. The conference also considered other important
large-scale nineteenth-century polychromatic schemes in publicly
accessible buildings in the UK, which have been restored or were
in the course of investigation or conservation.
Programme
-Welcome and Introductions, Una Richards
-Building the British Museum, Marjorie Caygill
-The Restoration of the Entrance Hall of The British Museum, Dr
Ian Bristow
-Investigation and Redecoration of the Reading Room in the British
Museum,
Richard Ireland
-Revival of Polychromy at the British Museum, Chris Terrey
-Redecorating Knightshayes, the First Thirty Years, Hugh Meller
-Recent Investigation of the Entrance Hall of the National Gallery,
London
Ian Crick & Michael Smith
-Burgess at Cardiff Castle, John Edwards
-Holmwood House, Glasgow, Una Richards and Patrick Baty
-The Cast Courts at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Jo Darrah
-Royal Holloway College, Peter Riddington
-Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Kate Crowe
2002
The Seventh Annual Conference
‘Faking It’
The History, Techniques and Conservation
of Marbling and Graining
Hampton Court Palace
7-8 November 2002
This
two-day conference was kindly hosted and supported by Historic
Royal Palaces.
It reviewed the long history of the use of paint
to imitate wood and marble. A wide range of papers discussed the
history, aesthetics, materials and techniques of the painted imitations
of these more exotic and expensive materials. The second day of
the conference provided demonstrations of marbling and graining
techniques and allowed delegates to try their own skills imitating
several different styles of wood graining. Specialist guided tours
led by palace curators and decorative finishes experts focussed
on the wide range of extant examples of graining and marbling
which can be seen within Hampton Court Palace.
Programme
7 November 2002
-Welcome and Announcements, Una Richards
-Faking It at Hampton Court: ‘Why we are here’, Jonathan
Foyle
-‘The Lure of a Fine Figure’, Dr Ian Bristow
-Marbling in Medieval Wall Paintings, David Park
-Graining and Marbling in Renaissance England, Anthony Wells-Cole
-The Use of Graining and Marbling (and other imitative effects)
in the Seventeenth Century, Helen Hughes
-The Investigation and Recreation of the Marbling in the Wren
Library, Lincoln, Nigel Leaney
-The Late-eighteenth and Early-nineteenth Century – Changes
in Materials and Techniques, Ian Bristow
-The Nineteenth Century - The Kershaw Panels at the Victoria and
Albert Museum, Alan Gardner
-Grained and Marbled Wallpapers and Other Illusions, Allyson McDermott
-The Training of Grainers and Marblers in the Twentieth and Twenty
first Centuries, Charles Hesp
8 November 2002
-Welcome and Announcements, Una Richards
-Practical Demonstrations, Frank Garbutt, Tom Greening, John Nevin
-Palace Tours, Jonathon Foyle, Susanne Groome, Richard Roberts
2004 The Eighth Annual Conference
‘Influences of the Oriental’
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton
February 26th - 27th 2004
This two-day conference was kindly hosted
and supported by the Royal Pavilion, Libraries and Museums of
Brighton and Hove City Council.
The TPF are particularly grateful to the Royal
Pavilion staff whose help in organising the co
nference and willingness
to take tours and be involved in practical sessions greatly contributed
to the success of the event.
Programme
Thursday 26th February:
-Welcome from the TPF: Ian Bristow, Chairman for the Conference
-The Brighton Pavilion: An Overview of the Architecture and Designs:
Andrew Barlow
-Orientally Influenced Decorative Effects and Techniques: Margaret
Ballardie
-English and Chinese Pigments Used in the Royal Pavilion: Janet
Brough
After lunch the delegates split into three groups and, in turn,
saw the following:
- Tour of the Royal Pavilion Decorative Effects
(including graining and marbling): Jon Latham
- Examined Cross-section Samples, from the Royal Pavilion, under
the microscope Janet Brough
- Practical Demonstration of the Stalker and Parker Recipes:
Margaret Ballardie
Friday 27th February:
-Chairman’s Introduction: Ian Bristow
-Orientalism: ideas and practices - an overview: Patrick Conner
-Hand Painted Chinese Wallpaper and its Conservation: Alyson McDermott
-The Redecoration of the Chinese Pavilion at Stowe: Jonathon Berry
& Emile Debruijn
-Redecoration of the Liberty Cinema, Southwell (London): Louise
Henderson
The delegates were then split into three groups and, in turn,
saw the following:
- Practical Demonstration of the Royal Pavilion
Graining and Marbling: Jon Latham
- Tour of the Painted Glass at the Royal Pavilion: Anne Sowden
- Examination of the Historic Wallpaper Collection at the Royal
Pavilion: Heather Wood
Background on The Brighton
Pavilion:
The complex development of the Royal Pavilion can be split three
principal phases: the Marine Pavilion extension of an existing
more modest house by Henry Holland in 1787; enlargement from 1801
with the building of the stables and other alterations with the
involvement of Porden, Holland and Repton and, finally, with the
engagement of the Architect John Nash in 1815, further extension
and transformation until 1823.
A brief outline of just one room will give an indication of the
splendour of the venue and its suitability for a conference on
Orientalism. John Morley describes the building of the Royal Pavilion
under George III in the guide book and, in particular, describes
the Music Room as:
“… perhaps the most remarkable of all the rooms in the
Royal Pavilion. The prose of a less abashed age does it full justice:
“No verbal description, however elaborate, can convey to
the mind or imagination of the reader an appropriate idea of the
magnificence of this apartment; and even with the creative delineations
of the pencil, combined with all the illusions of colour, would
scarcely be adequate to such an undertaking. Yet luxuriously resplendent
and costly as the adornments are, they are so intimately blended
with the refinements of an elegant taste that everything appears
in keeping and in harmony.” These decorations, as elsewhere
in the building, are in materials that admitted no compromise.
All are of the highest quality; the details of carving and painting
are superb. The cockleshells of the dome, decreasing in size as
they approach its apex, give an impression of loftiness that belies
actual dimensions. The wall paintings, said to have been done
by Lambelet, are elaborate chinoiserie confections in red, yellow
and gold; many details originate from Alexander’s Costumes
of China.
Frederick Crace and his firm, who controlled the work done in
the Music Room, accomplished the task in a remarkably short time,
often working throughout the night. The total effect is somewhat
like that of a great lacquer box; some details, especially those
of the upper part of the central gasolier, approach in refinement
the spirit of contemporary French decoration despite their exotic
elaboration. The room is as a whole more “Chinese” than
perhaps any other apartment in the Pavilion.
… the total cost of the room was £45,125.15.10 (sums
such as these should be seen in their context; the net produce
of the whole Kingdom, in the year of the King’s accession,
amounted to £74,769,196.4s.3.75d.)”
Traditional Paint Forum
2005 Conference
“10 Years on – What lessons
have we learnt and what have we achieved”.
The Brompton Oratory and The Victoria & Albert Museum, London.
October 7th & 8th 2005.
This conference reviewed some of the changes that have taken place
since the Traditional Paint Forum was founded in October 1994
and discussed what the Forum should seek to achieve in the next
decade. Many of the papers also looked at different approaches
to using information from traditional paints to help informed
conservation.
Programme
Friday 7th October:
-Academic studies of painted finishes – are they being used
effectively?: Dr Ian Bristow, President, Traditional Paint Forum.
-An historical introduction to the V&A: Christopher Marsden,
Senior Archivist, V&A Museum.
-Colour at the V&A: Gwyn Miles, Director of Projects, V&A
Museum.
-Applying the lessons of Newhailes: Ian Gow, Curator, National
Trust for Scotland.
-The Red House – A novel collaborative approach: Christine
Sitwell, Conservation Adviser, National Trust.
After lunch, delegates had a private tour of the V&A Museum
visiting some of the areas highlighted in the previous papers.
Saturday 8th October:
- Traditional Paint Forum AGM.
- Danson House – Solving the mystery and recreating the glory:
Helen Hughes, Senior Architectural Paint Researcher, English Heritage.
- Rediscovering Phoebe Anna Traquair’s murals at Mansfield
Church, Edinburgh: Ailsa Murray, Wall Painting Conservator, Historic
Scotland.
- The restoration of the Royal Pavilion at the railway station
in The Hague: Roos Keppler, SRAL, Maastricht.
- Smaller projects – Can I afford APR and what will it contribute?:
Alan Gardner, Alan Gardner Associates.
- Smarter Strippers – Advances in paint removal techniques
and materials: Clara Willett, Building Conservation & Research
Team, English Heritage.
- The new Institute of Conservation – What will it do for
you: Alastair McCapra, Chief Executive ICON.
- Report on the Copenhagen Conference – The search for a
European Code of Practice: Colin Mitchell-Rose, Chairman, Traditional
Paint Forum.
After lunch, there was a wide ranging discussion by delegates
on the future direction of the Forum. In particular, concern was
raised that the lack of understanding about what traditional paint
was and could contribute, together with reluctance to use it for
financial or safety reasons might lead to those few remaining
manufacturers deciding that continuing to supply these paints
was not worth while. The discussion concluded with the strong
message that the founding purpose of the Forum “Towards the
better understanding and appreciation of traditional paint”
was even more important today.
Traditional Paint Forum Conference - Setting the Scene
March 23 -24, 2007
Normansfield Theatre, Langdon Park, Teddington
Christine Sitwell and Helen Hughes
Finding the right venue for any conference can often be extremely challenging but the Normansfield Theatre proved to be an ideal location for the first day of the conference. For those of you who have never visited Normansfield Theatre, I highly recommend a visit as it as an absolute delight retaining all its original Victorian splendour. What makes it even more remarkable is that it was built by Dr. Langdon Down to encourage his patients, children and adults suffering from Down’s syndrome (at the time referred to as Mongolism), to learn music and drama as part of their education. In 1858 Dr. Downs was appointed Physician Superintendent for the Royal Earlswood Asylum for Idiots but ten years later opened a private home, Langdon Park, for children and adults with learning difficulties; a remarkable accomplishment in a time when they would have been condemned to spend their life in an asylum. Dr. Langdon’s study of Mongolism led to a greater understanding of the condition and more sympathetic approach to its treatment. He became known internationally as the “Father of Down’s syndrome”.
The history, design and importance of Normansfield Theatre was explained by Peter Longham (a Trustee of the Langdon Down Centre Trust). As one of the few extant theatres of that date, most having been burnt down, it typifies a theatre layout which had a limited stage thus requiring theatre sets of painted flats and drop cloths to create the illusion of space and setting. Gas lamps at the front of the stage illuminated the actors while candles attached to the back of the flats provided light for the back areas of the stage. The original Victorian flats and drop cloths which were in poor condition with tears, missing sections and paint losses have been conserved by textile conservators at the Textile Conservation Centre in Winchester. During the conference, delegates had the opportunity to wander onto the stage to view the flats and drops and the array of ropes, pulleys and floor channels which enabled the sets to be changed.
To understand the development of the theatre, Dr. James Fowler traced its origins from the Greek amphitheatre cut into the hillside with its circular stage through to open theatres with surrounding wooden palisades (to keep the audience within and exclude those who could not pay) to the emergence of the Elizabethan theatre. Sets very limited and the atmosphere and setting were created by the actor’s dialogue. He also discussed the use of elaborate floats which filled medieval town squares with costumed actors often balancing precariously from the intricate framework.
Timothy Easton continued the history theme discussing the close association of theatres and pubs in the 16th and 17th centuries, one that encouraged enjoyment and drink. Pubs were constructed with a first floor viewing gallery overlooking the courtyard which served as the actors’ stage. Hunting lodges also served as theatre sites. The first and second floors had open windows and painted striped cloths hung from their sides to provide decoration. Temporary tournament stands with hanging painted cloths provided an additional venue. The development of highly decorative schemes is best exemplified by the Globe Theatre. Whilst there was no attempt to create stage settings other than as an architectural structure through which the actors could enter and exit, this area and the fronts of the tiered seating would have been decorated but little evidence survived to inform the decorative scheme. Therefore, two schemes for the Globe were considered, one having marbled balustrades and columns, panelled painted fronts and elaborate plaster coving; the other incorporating black and red painted stripes on the rear walls of the tiers, black and white lozenge and diamond shaped designs to the fronts and striped columns. Easton’s extensive research into contemporary examples from theatres in London and East Anglia provided the evidence for the selection of the latter scheme.
In Tony Banfield’s presentation, the history of scene painting was revealed. In later Greek and Roman theatres, painted panels denoting Tragedy, Comedy and Pastoral were inserted in the structure. By the mid 16th century, books on stage designs began to appear. Figures were painted onto the scenery to give a sense of perspective and by 1618 the first proscenium arch appears which separates the audience from the stage. During the Restoration period, the fore stage appears and there is further development of the use of flats and back cloths to create the illusion of space. In the 18th century, Garrick introduces two point perspective and the craft of the scene painter begins as fine art painters are unable to produce work on such a large scale. By the 1870’s a more realistic approach to set designs appears as real objects are incorporated into the set.
Hilary Vernon Smith, Head Scenic Artist at the Royal National Theatre, provided a fascinating insight into the work of the scene painter both in terms of the history of this craft and also the physical side of creating sets. One has no idea of the shear scale of the operation unless you have had a chance to see the images which accompanied her talk showing the variety of methods which enabled the painters to work their way up and down the huge back drops on either movable or static platforms. Her description of the preparation of the hot size, its smell and the burns sustained by the painter during its application created immense admiration amongst the delegates. After the 1970’s scene painters began to use acrylics and PVA emulsions and employed techniques such as spray painting. In the modern theatre a variety of paint techniques, canvases (including gauze for its transparent effect) and other supports can be used to create fantastic sets but it became readily apparent that that it is the skill and imagination of the scene painter which is the crucial ingredient.
For pure visual pleasure, the restoration of the Apollo Victoria in London presented by John Earl, John Muir and Kathy Littlejohn is unbeatable. This amazing Art Deco ciné theatre opened in 1930 and is overwhelming in terms of colour, architectural detail and extraordinary alabaster light fixtures. Prior to the recent restoration, many of these features had been removed, painted over or hidden behind later alterations to the theatre in order to accommodate the long running performance of Star Light Express. Through paint analysis and archival research, the original paint scheme and decorative fixtures and fittings have been recreated to return the theatre to its original appearance. It is worth buying a ticket to The Witches just to see the interior.
On a more restrained note, the recent redecoration of the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds provides a unique opportunity to view one of the few late Georgian theatres in England. Anna Forrest and Christine Sitwell of the National Trust described the extensive archival and analytical investigations involved in the recreation of the theatre and its decorative scheme. The theatre was designed in 1819 by the architect, William Wilkins, and decorated by the scene painter, George Thorne. It has had an unhappy history of use and neglect, serving at one time as a barrel store for the King Green Brewery, the owners of the theatre. In the 1960’s the Brewery kept its promise to the local council and restored it employing the services of John Fowler. Using the scraps of evidence which remained he devised a decorative scheme for the interior. Recently the Trust has undertaken a major restoration project to return the theatre to its original appearance which has included major alterations to re-instate the fore stage (cleverly designed to be lowered when not in use), the pit area, the lower and upper boxed dress circles and the decorative scheme. The theatre now reflects the social division for the audience seating which includes a separate entrance for the pit area and individual boxes for the more affluent theatre goer. Extensive archival research, paint analysis and infra-red reflectography on the scraps of evidence from the fronts of the dress circles and the proscenium arch as well as all the paint surfaces provided information for the recreation of the decorative interior.
David Harrison of Hayles and Howe presented an amusing insight into the materials used to create the decorative plasterwork in theatres as well as the disasters which occur when the structure of the building fails. He described the use of lime plasters and fibrous plasters to create ceilings, covings and decorative sculptures and the systems which held them in place. His images of the hidden spaces above the ceiling and the intricate framework required to support the ceiling as well as the subsequent haphazard repairs were an eye opener. More appalling were the disasters which occur when water infiltrates the building causing entire ceilings to collapse and the daring exploits required by the specialists to assess the damage.
The Royal Festival Hall in London is a well known feature for most Londoners but many would be surprised to realise that hidden under the uniform white decorative scheme is a more subtle use of colour. Patrick Baty of Papers and Paint undertook extensive paint analysis which revealed localised use of colour in different areas of the Hall to create a more complex colour scheme. Having identified the colours as being based on the 1931 British Standard colour range 381C, he provided further information on contemporary thoughts on paint colours in building, citing in particular the Hertfordshire Schools Project which specified the colours to be use on the interiors of schools. His research into colour and the development of the British Standard range of paint colours of 1995 and the Archrome paint range provided the audience with a greater understanding of mid 20th century paint colours and helped to place the Royal Festival Hall within that context.
The first day of the conference ended with a delightful talk on Vermont Painted Theatre Curtains by Christine Hadsel. She has been involved in a large project to document and conserve about 175 historic painted theatre curtains dating between 1885 and 1940. These curtains were the primary artistic feature of every town hall, grange hall, opera house and community centres in small towns and villages throughout Vermont. They served as the backdrop to a variety of activities including travelling theatre troupes, local variety shows, choral groups, speakers and local school productions. The curtains were painted with colourful, romantic images of British and European landscapes and even the occasional majestic landscape of America. Conservators undertook remedial treatments to clean, stabilise and repair damages to the cotton muslin fabric and retouch paint losses. Once conserved the curtains were re-introduced to their original setting as they were to be used and enjoyed.
The Traditional Paint Forum Conference 2007
- Part Two
An impressive party gathered on Saturday morning outside Elms Lester Paint Frame. Most of us confessed that although we all knew this part of London, just off Centre Point well, we had never spotted this hidden gem, and we all agreed that one of the joys of London is discovering such treasures like this which have been hiding in full view. The small building has an odd almost triangular elongated plan. The previous day’s lectures had provided a steep learning curve in the art of scenery design and manufacture which most of us had never really considered. The creation of large canvas backdrops – or cloths - combined the skills of an artist with a scale more commonly tackled by house-painters.
We were shown around by Fiona Mackinnon who explained the mechanism of the actual paint frame – basically an enormous stretcher which could move up in the light well and down into the cellar, allowing the painters to remain in a fixed position at ground level. The cloth being prepared during our visit was for yet another production of Mama Mia (apparently there are over twenty versions of this musical being performed all over the world). The novel space provided a wonderful continuous link with nineteenth-century practise – we could smell the paint. The edges of the floor and the walls were thick with paint splatters. I do intend to return and take some samples to mount in cross-sections – they will be visually stunning. The traditional distemper used to paint backcloths and flats has largely been replaced by modern PVA purpose made paints such as ‘Rosco’ and spray paints.
The survival of this paint frame is due to the owners, who resisted offers from property developers and actually invited English Heritage to consider the building for listing. This instigated a review of ancillary theatre buildings. Sadly other paint frames in the West End were destroyed before they could be listed. The building is maintained by income from film shoots and exhibitions, but priority is given to keeping the paint frame in use and accessible for professional scene painters.
The next hidden discovery was Wilton’s Music Hall in the East End of London. Another inspiring project which is keeping history alive. We were greeted by Francis Mayhew and were completely entranced by her enthusiasm and story telling skills. Outside the building she recreated a vivid picture of the nineteenth-century scene, a thriving pub on the corner which serviced the locals and the sailors from the nearby docks had been extended in 1858 by the entrepreneur John Wilton to create a Music Hall (and brothel). The main purpose of the entertainments was to keep the customers spending money on food and drink. Wilton had bought up the adjacent buildings and created a theatre in the area formerly occupied by the gardens. The works were completed within months using a range of odd fittings Wilton could acquire, flagstones stolen from the nearby Georgian square, strange spiral columns ( which were probably destined for a more exotic location but never made it onto the ship).
The interior resembles a building site, indeed only 40% of the building is structurally sound: but it is a working theatre. Exposed lathes, bare bricks, wallpaper fragments, junk furniture all contribute in creating a stimulating space which invites further investigation. The gerry-built nature of its construction has left a legacy of structural problems but the actual design of the theatre hall is very good, and today it offers an atmospheric and intimate space for a variety of events. Wilton’s heyday was in the late nineteenth century the famous song ‘Champagne Charlie’ had its premier performance here. When the Music Halls declined in popularity it was used as a Methodist church but then fell into disuse and was only saved from demolition by the intervention of Sir John Betchaman. Wilton’s is currently staging and I took up the kind offer of a discounted ticket and returned in the evening to see a wonderful production of the Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’. The venue and the performance are receiving great reviews. The music hall itself has provided the location for several movies and television and dramas. The existing scheme which appears to the be ‘as found’ natural decay and the accumulation was is in fact recently created by scene painters who were asked to obliterate the lurid paint effects applied by the last film company. This ‘faked’ distress caused some discussion over lunch.
We then crossed the Thames to lawless Southwark: and the Globe Theatre. We were given yet another entertaining tour by a member of the Globe staff. He was recovering from guiding groups of ‘French teenagers – do not get me started’ and so was delighted to meet such an enlightened group. Timothy Easton’s lecture on the Globe and his involvement into the research behind its current presentation meant we arrived well armed to make a critical assessment of the decorative scheme. It was evident that there had been ‘a love affair’ with the timber beam construction of the building which perhaps should be hidden behind plaster – but the Globe is clearly attempting to move towards a more exuberant less sanitised atmosphere. To accurately recreate Shakespeare’s Globe would mean flouting all Health & Safety regulations, blocking up fire exits, encouraging urination at the side of the stage and allowing prostitutes to ply their trade in the stairwells – so it would seem churlish to get pedantic over paint issues. We stopped to watch student actors, wrapped in over coats, deliver their lines on the open air stage – and remembered what theatre is all about.
It was a wonderful day which complimented the previous days papers. Special thanks are due to Saskia Paterson for her meticulous planning.
Helen Hughes
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