¹ Palaestra, cii (1911).

² “Vor 1600 ist mit dem Vorhang nicht ernstlich zu rechnen …” Ibid., p. 233; and again concerning the Passion Plays: “Anmerkungen, die das Aufgehen des Vorhangs vorschreiben, finden sich nicht, da es noch keinen Vorhang gibt.” Ibid., p. 8.

³ See Karl Young, The Drama of the Medieval Church, i, 133, 249–250, 252, 324, 363–365; ii, 400, 509 ff., etc.

⁴ For England cf. the following notes from St. Margaret Church, Southwark (1485): “Item, a lytell Cortyn of grene sylke for the hede of the sepulture_;”; “ij blew Cortyns (to) draw afore the sepulture.” Quoted by John K. Bonnell, “The Easter Sepulchrum in its Relation to the Architecture of the High Altar,” PMLA., xxxi, 688.

⁵ Cf. Young, op. cit., ii, 43–45, 246, 404, 480 ff.

⁶ Cf. Bonnell, op. cit., pp. 664 ff. and Young, op. cit., i, 255–256.

⁷ Quoted by Robert Stumpf], “Die Bühnenmöglichkeiten im XVI. Jahrhundert,” Zeitschrift für deutsche Philologie (abbreviated hereafter ZfdPh), liv, 69.

⁸ Renward Brandstetter, “Die Luzerner Bühnen-Rodel,” Germania, xxx, 325.

⁹ Cf. among others Erzherzog Ferdinand's Speculum vitae humanae (1584): “Der Himmel thuet sich auff, vnd singen die Engel zum beschluß wiederumb das Lobgesang.” (Neudrucke deutscher Literaturwerke des XVI. und XVII. Jahrhunderts, abbreviated hereafter NdLw., No. 79–80, p. 63); and Joh. Aal's Tragoedia Joannis (1549): “Der Himmel thuot sich wieder zuo.” (NdLw., No. 263–267, p. 13).—See also the quotations from Stainhausens Chronik (1619) cited by Stumpfl, “Süddeutsche Bühnenformen vor Einführung der ital. Verwandlungsbühne,” ZfdPh., liii, 70–72.

¹⁰ Cf. for example the description in Stainhausens Chronik (1619): “War ein bühne aufgericht, darüber ein himmel. … Nachmals hadt sich der himel eröffnet, vnd ist ein wolgestalter Engel erschienen. …” (Stumpf!, op. cit.. ZfdPh., liii, 72).

¹¹ In Tittmann's Deutsche Dichter des 17. Jahrhunderts, Goedeke-Goetze ed.

¹² P. 89.—Cf. also Hallmann's Sophia (1671): “Der Schauplatz eröffnet sich oben und stellet vor einen helleuchtenden Himmel. …” (Mauermann, op. cit., p. 218); and Gryphius' Catharina von Georgien (1657): “Über dem Schauplatz öffnet sich der himmel. …” (Bibliothek des Literarischen Vereins in Stuttgart, abbreviated hereafter BLV., clxxii, 149).

¹³ In the French Mystery Plays curtains on the stations were used rather early. See e.g. Fouquet's illustrations from 1460 (Carl Niessen, Das Bühnenbild, Plate 10, Figure 4; Hans Borcherdt, Das europäische Theater im Mittelalter und in der Renaissance, p. 42; Karl Mantzius, A History of Theatrical Art in Ancient and Modern Times, ii, 64–68).

¹⁴ M. B. Evans, Manuscript on Lucerne Passion Play, chap. vin.—Professor Evans kindly placed his most valuable material at my disposal while he was still busy writing and revising his manuscript. For this reason I cannot give exact page references.

¹⁵ Evans, op. cit.

¹⁶ Ibid.—The following direction describes a very interesting use of curtains: “So der Saluator ans Creütz kompt, sol der jüngst Tempelherr den Vmbhang am Tempel vffzühen vnd so er verscheiden, jnne schnell von einandren zühen.” M. B. Evans, “The Staging of the Donaueschingen Passion Play,” MLR., xv, 290.—Cf. also the station Paradise in the Adam Play mentioned by Karl Mantzius (op. cit., ii, 56–57) which was only partly draped.

¹⁷ Cf. the following directions: “Jetzt gadt die hell vf vnd spricht der Rychmañ.” (Züricher Spiel vom reichen Mann und armen Lazarus (1540). Quoted by Exp. Schmidt, Die Bühnenverhältnisse des deutschen Schuldramas …, p. 160); “… und gat unser her mit seinen englen zuo der helle und beschleust denn die hell….” (Der jüngste Tag, 1467, F. Mone, Schauspiele des Mittelalters, i, 303.

¹⁸ Mantzius, op. cit., ii, 57, 66.

¹⁹ Op. cit., pp. 26–27.

²⁰ Borcherdt, Ibid., p. 26.

²¹ Cf. Niessen, op. cit., Plates 14, 7 (Fig. 5), 10 (Fig. 6); Borcherdt, op. cit., pp. 25, 27, 41, 45, and 167; Könnecke, Bilderatlas zur Geschichte der deutschen Nationallitteratur, p. 93, Nos. 9 and 14; Max Herrmann, Forschungen zur deutschen Theatergeschichte des Mittelalters und der Renaissance, Figures 112 and 113.—An interesting stage with three levels, representing the medieval conception of heaven, earth, and hell, is reproduced in Otto Weddingen's Geschichte der Theater Deutschlands. … (p. 12). The two lower stages, one representing hell with the usual hell-mouth, and the middle one (earth), have no drapery at all, but the upper level (heaven) is equipped with curtains, suggesting that in addition to their practical use these drapes were perhaps originally intended to represent clouds which would, of course, be inconceivable anywhere except on heaven above.

²² Evans, MS, Chapter viii.—The cloth (“40 Ellen leinenes Tuch”) demanded for the 1571 performance (See Brandstetter, op. cit., Germania, xxxl, 264) was not intended for a curtain but the covering of the station.

²³ Reclams Deutsche Literatur in Entwicklungsreihen (abbreviated hereafter DL), Reihe Barock, Barockdrama, ii, 74.

²⁴ Cf. Borcherdt, op. cit., pp. 50–51, 136–137, and Toni Weber, Die Praefiguration im geistlichen Drama Deutschlands.—It would, however, be erroneous to assume that curtains were always used for these prefigurations. The Heidelberg Passion Play (1514) certainly had no curtains for this purpose.

²⁵ Herrmann, op. cit., pp. 364 ff.

²⁶ For illustrations see Herrmann, op. cit., pp. 373, 399; Niessen, op. cit., Plates 15 (Figure 1), 15a (6, 7), 16 (2), 24 (1); Borcherdt, op. cit., pp. 138–139.

²⁷ Quoted by Joh. Bolte in the Introduction to Georg Wickrams Werke, BLV., ccxxxvi, lxxxix.

²⁸ MLR., xv, 290.

²⁹ Ibid.

³⁰ Ibid.

³¹ See Stumpfl, ZfdPh., liv, 54.

³² Quoted by Stumpfl, ZfdPh., liv, 54.

³³ Cf. such statements as “Da sahe man ein hauffen tantzen / sich hertzen vnd küssen.” etc. from the above-mentioned Comoedia von der Wollust.

³⁴ Stainhausens Chronik, 1619 (Stumpfl, ZfdPh., liii, 69–70).—Note also the sitting figures (“Gestalten”) in Schoch's Comoedia vom Studentenleben (1658), Fabricius ed. (München: Seitz and Schauer 1892): “Es sitzet einer auff einem Sessel… . Der dritte sitzet. … Der vierdte sitzet. …” p. 78.

³⁵ Rist, Friedewünschendes Teutschland, ibid., p. 8.

³⁶ Filidor's Wittekinden, 1666 (DL., Barockdrama, vi, 211).

³⁷ Theatrum Europaeum. Quoted by Joh. Bolte, “Das Danziger Theater im 16. und 17. Jahrhundert,” Theatergeschichtliche Forschungen (abbreviated hereafter ThgF.), xii, 84–85.

³⁸ Hallmann's Sophia. 1671 (Quoted by Mauermann, op. cit., p. 224).

³⁹ Lohenstein's Sophonisbe, 1680 (DL., Barockdrama, i, 275).

⁴⁰ Theatrum Europaeum (Quoted by Bolte, op. cit., ThgF., xii, 84–85).

⁴¹ Schoch, op. cit., p. 5.

⁴² Schoch, op. cit., p. 34.—Cf. also the words “zuegezogen” in Joh. Raue's Aeneas, 1648 (Bolte op. cit., ThgF . xii, 87), and “entdeckte” in Bressand's Doppelte Freude der Musen, 1695 (DL., Barockdrama, v, 182).

⁴³ Cf. my dissertation, Der Aufzug im deutschen Drama: Ein Beitrag zur Bedeutungs und Bühnengeschichte (Ohio State Univ.), p. 100, etc.

⁴⁴ Filidor, op. cit., p. 303.—For the remaining “Kammern” the stage directions read: “Die zweyte Kammer thut sich auf …; Die dritte Kammer eröffnet sich …; ”Das vierdte Gemach wird aufgezogen …; Es wird das fünffte Zimmer geöffnet….“ Ibid., p. 304.

⁴⁵ Rist, op. cit., p. 8.

⁴⁶ Gryphius, Carolus Stuardus, 1656 (BLV., clxxi, p. 457).

⁴⁷ Cf. the “Pallast” in the above-mentioned Comoedia von der Wollust. .., 1570 (Stumpft, ZfdPh., liii, 66–67).

⁴⁸ Filidor's Wittekinden calls for a number of back stages (“Kammern,” “Gemächer,” “Zimmer”) which appear when the back-drop is removed (pp. 303–304).

⁴⁹ BLV., clxxii, 456.

⁵⁰ Ibid., p. 5; see quotation above.

⁵¹ Ibid., p. 224; see quotation above.

⁵² Both Rist (op. cit., p. 8) and Schoch (op. cit., p. 78) let Mercurius play the rôle of interlocutor. A similar rôle is played by “Fraw Wollust” in the Comoedia von der Wollust (1570), and the “Precursor” in Vigil Raber's Reich man und Lazarus. (See quotations above).—Borcherdt (op. cit., p. 64) points out that this practice was known in Italy too. Cf. also the rôle of the “Schutzgeist” in the Oberammergau Passion Play (Text of 1750; BLV., cclxxxii).

⁵³ Cf. Bressand's Doppelte Freude der Musen, 1695 (DL., Barockdrama, V, 182); Raue's Aeneas, 1648 (Bolte. op. cit., ThgF., xii, 87); Schoch, op. cit., p. 5.

⁵⁴ Borcherdt, op. cit., pp. 135 and 136; Niessen, op. cit., plate 40 (1 and 5); Karl Holl, Geschichte des deutschen Lustspiels, p. 388; H. K. Polt, Die Buehne Heinrich Julius von Braunschweig (Ohio State Univ. Dissertation), plates 4, 5, 6, and 7.

⁵⁵ See Karl Mantzius, op. cit., ii, Fig. 18 and 19 (p. 224); and Niessen, op cit., plate 41 (3 and 7).

⁵⁶ Mantzius, op. cit., ii, Fig. 14 and 15, p. 190, 192; Hugo A. Rennert, The Spanish Stage in the Time of Lope de Vega, pp. 17–18.

⁵⁷ MP, ix, 422.—Cf. also Niessen, op. cit., plate 40 (2).

⁵⁸ Forschungen zur deutschen Theater geschickte des Mittelalters und der Renaissance (1914); Die Bühne des Hans Sacks. Ein offener Brief an Albert Köster (1923); Noch einmal die Bühne des Hans Sacks (1924).

⁵⁹ Die Meistersingerbühne des 16. Jh. (1921); Besprechung von Hermanns offenem Brief (1923); Die Bühne des Hans Sachs (1923).

⁶⁰ This is verified also by a number of subsequent investigations: Drescher (Deutsche Literatur-Zeitung, 1925); Holl (ZfdPh., li); Witkowski (Deutsche Vierteljahresschrift, XI, 251 ff.); Engler (ZfdPh., lii, 195 ff.).—The presence of front curtains, however, which Borcherdt (op. cit., p. 171) presupposes for this stage, is highly improbable. Cf. Mantzius. op. cit., ii, p. 150.

⁶¹ In Tittmann's Schauspiele aus dem 16. Jahrhundert, Part i, p. 226.

⁶² Introduction to Wickrams Werke, Ibid., p. xc. Note especially the following direction: “verkriechen sich hinder den forhanck oder under das beth.” Ibid.

⁶³ Borcherdt, op. cit., pp. 76 ff.; E. K. Chambers, The Elizabethan Stage, iii, 1 ff.; W. Creizenach, Geschichte des neueren Dramas, ii, 1 ff.; Bolte, Wickrams Werke, Ibid., vi, lxxxiv ff.

⁶⁴ Stumpfl (ZfdPh., liv, 55) stresses the influence of the medieval Mystery-play stage. Borcherdt (op. cit., p. 136), on the other hand, grants the influence of antiquity but maintains that the Dutch Rederijkerbühne was the original with which the Roman stage later identified itself. Also Max Herrmann compared the Terenzbilhne with the Dutch stage (Forschungen …, pp. 397–398).—The assertion by Kaulfuß-Diesch (Die Inszenierung des deutschen Dramas …, pp. 51–52 that the stage of the school drama (Terenzbühne) was brought to Western Europe by the Italian comedians is no longer tenable.

⁶⁵ Niessen, op. cit., Plate 13 (Fig. 1–3 and 11–12); Bolte, Wickrams Werke, ibid., vi, lxxxi-lxxxiii; Herrmann's Forschungen …, pp. 280 ff.; Borcherdt, op. cit., Fig. 49–51 (pp. 76–77).

⁶⁶ Cf. Borcherdt, op. cit., Fig. 48 (p. 74). To be sure, the curtain on this illustration is nothing more than a symbolical door. Sometimes, however, a real door is shown. (See Herrmann's Forschungen …. Fig. 53, p. 339.)

⁶⁷ Cf. Chambers, The Elizabethan Stage, iii, 42.

⁶⁸ See Herrmann's Forchungen …, Fig. 56 (p. 347); Exp. Schmidt, op. cit., Fig. 4 and 6; Borcherdt, op. cit., Fig. 53 (p. 79); Niessen, op. cit., Plate 13 (3), plate 12 (10); Mantzius, op. cit., ii, 321.

⁶⁹ Schmidt, op. cit., Fig. 5; Könnecke's Bilderatlas …, p. 198.

⁷⁰ Herrmann's Forschungen …, Fig. 33 (p. 306), Fig. 34 (p. 307), Fig. 57 (p. 349); Schmidt, op. cit., Fig. 1. (p. 189); Borcherdt, op. cit., Fig. 51 (p. 77); Niessen, op. cit., Plate 13, (Fig. 11).

⁷¹ See Herrmann's Forschungen …, Fig. 20 (p. 289).

⁷² A difference which Max Herrmann (Forschungen …, p. 397–398) overlooked.

⁷³ Cf. Chambers, Elizabethan Stage, iii, 81.—It must be kept in mind that at best the illustrations discussed above represent an ideal or theoretical form. In actual staging there were undoubtedly significant deviations thereform. It is even probable that in some cases the scenae did not form a back wall but were entirely separated, like the stations of the Passion Play stage. See e.g. Borcherdt, op. cit., pp. 165 ff.

⁷⁴ Rollenhagen, Tobias (1576), NdLw., No. 285–287, p. 8.

⁷⁵ Ibid., p. 15. Cf. the mention of a bench in other plays, for example Joh. Stricker's Du Düdesche Schlömer (DL., Reihe Reformation, vi, 193, 227, 259, 263).

⁷⁶ S. Meinrads Leben (1576), quoted by Bolte, Wickrams Werke, vi, ibid., p. lxxxv.

⁷⁷ Rollenhagen, op. cit., p. 19.

⁷⁸ Cf. Robert Stumpfl's Introduction to Th. Brunners Jacob … (NdLw., No. 258–260 p. xxxiii).

⁷⁹ Thiebolt Gart's Joseph (DL., Reformation, vi, p. 74, i.e. the end of the second act).

⁸⁰ Ibid., p. xxxiii.—Here we see that the scena was used for change of costume.

⁸¹ Föller's Galmy (1560), quoted by Bolte, Wickrams Werke., vi, ibid., p. lxxxv.—In so far as curtains are not mentioned in this group of stage directions, it might be questioned whether the back wall of the proscenium actually did consist of drapery. In the light of the fact, however, that virtually all illustrations show curtains and also because curtains are mentioned in many other rubrics (cf. some quoted below), we may safely assume that the doors of the scenae were nothing more than cloth hangings.

⁸² Quoted by Bolte, Wickrams Werke, vi, ibid., p. Ixxxviii.—Note also the frequent mention of a door by Stricker, ibid., pp. 185, 203. 249, 255.

⁸³ Montanus, Von zweien Römern (quoted by Stumpfl, ZfdPh., liv, p. 55).—Whether the word flügel alludes to a curtain is not clear. To be sure, it is occasionally used in this sense even today. (Cf. Flemming's Introduction to Barockdrama, DL., iii, 46.)

⁸⁴ Rollenhagen, op. cit., p. 62.

⁸⁵ Ibid., p. 65.

⁸⁶ Stumpfl, Introduction to Th. Brunners Jacob, ibid., p. xxxii.

⁸⁷ Ibid., pp. 82–83.

⁸⁸ Cf. the use of curtains in the eating scene in Gadenstedt's Tobaeus (quoted by Bolte, Wickrams Werke, vi, xc).

⁸⁹ Cf. the following excerpt from the quotation from Bletz cited above: “Sy zient die vmbheng für, beschnyden jn.” (Stumpfl, ZfdPh., liv, 54).—Also by the exit of the players a scene could be transferred behind stage. Cf.: “Hie tretten sie zugleich mit einander ab/als die sache zu verrichten” (i.e. Joseph's brothers wish to sprinkle blood on the coat). Brunner, op. cit., p. 30.—That, however, the Renaissance dramatist did not consider it bad taste to show the most gruesome scenes on the stage is far too obvious to need elaboration here. A. C. Mahr (Dramatische Situationsbilder und bildtypen, p. 29) has pointed out that the sanctioned perversion of good taste as evidenced in the blinding scene in Shakespeare's Lear could be explained only by the fact that the public was accustomed to the depiction of crucifixion and torture in the mystery plays.

⁹⁰ Ibid., p. 67.

⁹¹ In this respect the scena identifies itself more and more with the station of the Passion Play stage.

⁹² Wilhelm Creizenach, Die Schauspiele der englischen Komödianten, Kürschners Deutsche National-Litteratur (abbreviated hereafter DNL), xxiii, ii ff.; E. Herz, “Englische Schauspieler u. engl. Schauspiel zur Zeit Shakespeares in Deutschland,” ThgF., xviii, 3 ff.

⁹³ Cf. Stumpfl, op. cit., ZfdPh., liv, 75; G. Witkowski, “Vorhang und Aktschluß,” Bühne u. Welt, viii, 18–22, 73–76, 104–108.

⁹⁴ Ayrer expressly mentions “die neue Englische Manier und Art.” See also Stumpf!, op. cit., ZfdPh., lv, p. 51.

⁹⁵ See bibliography in Chambers, op. cit.

⁹⁶ Chambers, op. cit., ii, 353 ff., iii, 47 ff.; Creizenach, Geschichte des neueren Dramas, iv, 401 ff.

⁹⁷ Chambers, op. cit., iii, 78 ff.; Witkowski, Vorhang und Aktschluß, pp. 20–21; Creizenach, Geschichte des neuern Dramas, iv, 418 ff.; B. Neuendorff, “Die englische Volksbühne im Zeitalter Skakespeares nach den Bühnenanweisungen,” Literarhistorische Forschungen, No. 43, pp. 31 ff.

⁹⁸ The frequent use of curtains for hiding indicates an English influence, but since it introduces nothing new in stage technique, no further comment will be made on this subject. Cf. Ayrer (BLV., lxxx, 3408), Unzeitiger Vorwitz (DNL., xxiii, 304); Gryphius, Leo Arminius (BLV., cxxxii, 29), Weise, vom verfolgten Lateiner (DL., Aufklärung, i, 215, 344), etc.

⁹⁹ Julius Petersen (“Schiller und die Bühne …,” Palaestra, xxxii, 163) says: “Der Wechsel zwischen Vorder- und Hinterbühne, der in letzter Linie dem englischen Theater entspringt, geht in Deutschland auf das Theater der Wandertruppen zurück.”—Cf. also Carl Heine, Das Schauspiel der deutschen Wanderbühne vor Gottsched, pp. 49 ff.; Oskar Walzel, Das Wortkunstwerk, pp. 326–343; Chambers, op. cit., iii, 18 ff., 50 ff.

¹⁰⁰ Cf. Willi Flemming, Introduction to DL., Barockdrama, iii, 47; Mauermann, op. cit., p. 110; Creizenach, op. cit., DNL., xxiii, xcii.

¹⁰¹ Tragikomödie, 1630 (DNL., xxiii, p. 228.)

¹⁰² Ibid., p. 247.—Cf. “Allhier muß ein wenig gerumpel in der Scena gemacht werden, vnd Schoßwitz herauß gelauffen kommen. …” Unzeitiger Vorwitz, 1630 (DNL., xxiii, 314).

¹⁰³ Cf. also such remarks as: “Fenget in der Scene an zu singen” (Ibid., p. 314); “Diß kan noch halb in Scena gesaget werden” (Ibid., p. 316).

¹⁰⁴ König Mantalors, 1630, quoted by Fritz Hammes,“ Das Zwischenspiel im deutschen Drama …,” (Literarhistorische Forschungen, Heft 45, p. 67).

¹⁰⁵ Tugend- und Liebes- Streit, 1677 (DNL., xxiii, 116).

¹⁰⁶ DL., Barockdrama, vi.

¹⁰⁷ This is probably an influence of the opera stage.

¹⁰⁸ Cf. Ludwig Fulda's reference to the similarity between the stages of Shakespeare and Weise (DNL., xxxix, xxiv).

¹⁰⁹ Op. cit., p. 49.

¹¹⁰ DNL., xlii, 115.

¹¹¹ See Petersen, op. cit., pp. 166 ff., and 172 ff.

¹¹² Wickrams Werke, ibid., vi, xci.

¹¹³ Willi Flemming, op. cit., v, p. 65.

¹¹⁴ Witkowksi, op. cit., pp. 73–74.

¹¹⁵ Cf. among others Postel's Gensericus (DL., Barockdrama, v, 199), Callenbach's Hinckender Bott (1714), p. 4.—Cf. also the following comment in Harsdörffer's Frauenzimmer Gesprechspiele (Nürnberg, 1643–56), IV, 46: “Damit aber der Zuseher Verlangen vermehret werde / kan der Schauplatz noch verhängt bleiben. …”

¹¹⁶ Bolte, “Das Danziger Theater,” ThgF., xii, 166.

¹¹⁷ Bremen, 1688, DL., Barockdrama, iii, 203. Cf. also Könneckes Bilderatlas, p. 199.

¹¹⁸ Kopenhagen, 1719, ZfdPh., xxv, 334.

¹¹⁹ Danzig, ca. 1730, Bolte, “Das Danziger Theater,” ThgF., xii, 166.

¹²⁰ Neumeister demands: “In einer Haupt-Opera muß das Theatrum zum längsten in einer halben Stunde eine neue Veränderung haben.” (Borinski, Die Poetik der Renaissance …, p. 346.)

¹²¹ DL., Barockdrama, v, 312.—Cf. also Petersen, op. cit., p. 139.—Harsdörffer (Frauenzimmer Gesprechspiele, iv, 164) demands at least one change per act: “… Ferners wird zu wirklicher Vorstellung dieses Waldgedichtes erfordert ein oftverwechslender Schauplatz/der zum wenigstens mit allen Handlungen (inzwischen … die Fürhänge zugezogen werden) verändert.”

¹²² Flemming, op. cit., v, 49.

¹²³ F. W. Barthold, Geschichte der Fruchtbringenden Gesellschaft, p. 265.

¹²⁴ Barthold, op. eil., pp. 265–266; Flemming_; op. cit., v, 48 ff.

¹²⁵ Cf. Furtenbach's sketches (Niessen, op. cit., plate 20).

¹²⁶ This is, to be sure, an old Italian and Roman custom.—Cf. Creizenach, Geschichte des neueren Dramas, II, 299–300; Borchert, op. cit., p. 98; Witkowski, Vorhang und Aktschluß, Ibid., p. 19.—Harsdörffer (Frauenzimmer Gesprechspiele, vi, 45) recommends this type of curtain as an option to the one that is drawn upward: “Der gemahlte Vorhang bedekket den Schauplatz von ober an; und wird alsdann / wann die Vorstellung aufgeführet wird/vor dem Platz niedergesenket / vnd verborgen / oder auch mit Rollwerk in die Höhe gezogen.” However, the unpainted curtain is to be drawn aside or upward: “Ist aber der Vorhang ohne Gemahl / so wird er / entweder in einem Nu / beederseits aufgezogen/oder also erhaben / daß er in dreyen Theilen ob dem Schauplatz schwebet.” (Ibid., 46).

¹²⁷ Niessen, op. cit., plate 20.

¹²⁸ See Fleming, op. cit., v, 49–50.—Neumeister even suggsets a “zwey oder dreyfache Abtheilung.” A threefold division of the depth of the stage may be presupposed even as late as the end of the eighteenth century. Cf. Iffland's query: “Wo kann kurzes, mittleres und ganz langes Theater sein?” (Petersen, op. cit., p. 173). Cf. also Hauptmann's Festspiel, p. 11.

¹²⁹ Cf. among others the “Perspectivische Landschafft” in Filidor's Wiltekinden (Ibid., vi, 302).—Harsdörffer describes this back drop as follows: “Der Schauplatz soll seyn/eine Bracken mit gemalter Leinwat überzogen / auf welcher die nach der Sehkunst (Perspectiv) gerichtete beede Seiten / sich zu Ende mit einem vertieften Gemähide schliessen.” (Gesprechspiele, iii, 174).

¹³⁰ Niessen, op. cit., plate 35. Fig. 5.

¹³¹ Cf. Flemming, op. cit., v, 50.

¹³² Cf. among others Fig. 68 (p. 98), 74 (p. 107), 76 (p. 109), etc. in Borcherdt, op. cit.

¹³³ Op. cit., p. 108.

¹³⁴ Cf. DNL., xxiii, 116.

¹³⁵ Op. cit., Plate 24, Fig. 2.

¹³⁶ It may be noted in this connection that Witkowski fails to mention this curtain. His remarks are based upon Zesen's sketch which, according to Witkowski, has no curtain on the front stage. V orhang und Aktschluß, p. 75.

¹³⁷ See Könneckes Bilderatlas, p. 171 or Holl, op. cit., p. 400.

¹³⁸ P. 5.—Cf. also the curtains used for the “Special Vertonungen” and for the “General Vertonung” in Raue's Aeneas (Bolte, “Danziger Theater,” ThgF., xii, 87–88).

¹³⁹ Bolte, Wickrams Werke, ibid., vi, xci.

¹⁴⁰ Ibid.

¹⁴¹ Ibid., p. lxxxvi.

¹⁴² Cf. Petersen (op. cit., p. 139): “Das Fallen des vorderen Vorhanges innerhalb des Stückes scheint als vereinzeltes Aushülfsmittel bei Szenenwechsel von der italienischen Opernbühne aus bereits auf die deutsche Schauspielbühne des /?/selbzehnten Jahrhunderts übergegangen zu sein.” Gottsched, who mentions the frequent change of scenery and the drawing of the curtain at the opening of the operatic performance, has nothing to say about the use of the curtain during change of scenery. Critische Dichtkunst, second ed. (1737), p. 714.

¹⁴³ Cf. the following stage direction in Schoch's Comoedia vom Studentenleben; “Hier müssen die Vorhänge der innern Scene fallen, und wird das Bette vom Theatro geschaffet. … So bald das Bette vom Theatro gebracht, werden die Vorhänge auffgezogen. …,” p. 82.

¹⁴⁴ Petersen, op. cit., p. 147.

¹⁴⁵ DNL., cxxxix, p. 14.

¹⁴⁶ Petersen, op. cit., p. 142.

¹⁴⁷ Petersen (Op. cit., p. 143), attributes this to the influence of the Sturm und Drang drama.

¹⁴⁸ Beyträge zur Critischen Historie (1742), viii, 127. See Petersen, op. cit., 139.—Harsdörffer, too, sometimes prescribes the falling of the curtain at the end of the acts (Cf. note 121), but there is no special significance to this, because he also calls for the falling of the curtain for change of scenery within the acts.

¹⁴⁹ Bolte, “Danziger Theater,” ThgF., xii, 84–85.

¹⁵⁰ Ibid., p. 84.

¹⁵¹ Cf. Petersen, op. cit., p. 141.

¹⁵² On the semasiological development of the theatrical term Aufzug cf. my dissertation. A summary of these findings was given in a paper, “Notes on the Development of the Theatrical Term Aufzug,” read by the writer at the Fifty-Fourth annual meeting of the Association (1937).

¹⁵³ “In den wenigsten tragischen Stücken findet der Aufzug des Vorhangs statt. …” Briefe über Merkwürdigkeiten der Literatur, 1767. (Deutsche Literalurdenkmale des 18. Jahrhunderts in Neudrucken, xxix-xxx, 280.)

¹⁵⁴ Ibid.

¹⁵⁵ Cf. Petersen, op. cit., p. 139; Zickel, Die szenarischen Bemerkungen im Zeitalter Gottscheds und Lessings.

¹⁵⁶ Cf. Witkowski, Vorhang und Aktschluß, pp. 184–185; Petersen, op. cit., p. 139; Zickel, op. cit., p. 40.

¹⁵⁷ Johann Christoph Adelung, Versuch eines vollständigen grammatisch-kritischen Wörterbuches … (1774–86), i, 499–500.