188 THE FINE ARTS. 
rolled up. The stage is so high that the decorations can be drawn up out 
of sight without being turned over. Another theatre, which we give some- 
what further in detail, is one built a few years ago in Paris, called the 
Théatre historique. Its concealed situation between the masses of houses 
D (jig. 2) rendered necessary a special entrance from the boulevard ; for 
this purpose the passage C was constructed, which is lighted from above, 
and the front elevation of which is given in fig. 3. J%gs.4 and 5 are the 
two caryatides at the entrance, which represent personifications of Tragedy 
and Comedy. In pl. 26, jigs. 44 and 45 show the two upper groups, one 
(44) containing the Cid and Ximene as representatives of the Drama, and 
the other (45) Hamlet and Ophelia as representatives of Tragedy. As to 
the distribution of the interior, A (pl. 25, jig. 2) is the stage; B the par- 
quette with the parterre behind it; EK and F are the first tier of boxes; 
G, the staircases; and H, I, K are the manager’s and other apartments 
connected with the business of the theatre. 
As to the proper form which should be given to the portion of the build- 
ing allotted to the audience, there has been a great deal of disputation. 
Some wish to make it a complete semicircle; and this form is certainly the 
most natural, but it affords comparatively too little room. Others propose 
an elliptical form; to which, however, there are many objections on the 
score of sound. <A form that contains more than a semicircle is very 
commonly employed, but is disadvantageous, because in it'a great number 
of the best places in the boxes are so situated that only a small part of the 
stage can be seen from them. The best form would seem to be that of a 
rather long round arc drawn from several centres, the sides of which open 
again somewhat towards the proscenium (82), and which is so calculated that 
the first rows of the persons sitting on each side of the first and second tiers 
of boxes can have a perfect view of both walls of the proscenium. If the 
boxes, then, have no side-walls, but only columns to support the tiers above 
them (pl. 25, fig. 9, side view, and jig. 10, front view), and the hinder seats 
are raised higher than those in front of them, a good view will be obtained 
from every place. In order to give a clear idea of the entire arrangement 
of the interior, we present in jg. 6 a longitudinal section of the Thédtre de 
la Gaveté in Paris. 
We will now offer in a few words what we have to say respecting the 
erection of a stage. 
a. Principal Dimensions. Its size depends altogether on the kind of 
pieces that are to be performed upon it. A stage destined for the repre- 
sentation of the grand operas with all possible splendor must needs be 
much larger than one which is to be used for tragedy and comedy ; because 
the choruses, ballets, processions, &c., demand a great deal of space. The 
width of the proscenium is usually taken as the standard of measurement 
for the whole stage ; and at least double this width is taken for that of the 
whole theatre from wall to wall, in order that the flats and wings may have 
the requisite breadth and that the workmen and performers may have plenty 
of room to move about behind them. The height of the stage-opening 
should be always at least four fifths of its breadth ; and the building must 
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