Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-04
THE ART OF MAKING UP.
Some Very Precise Directions for the
Stage.

Stage.
PAINTING IN soCIETY-THE MISTAKES MADE
THEATRICAL MAKE-UP-HOw TO PIN Up YOUR
NoSE-THE VILLAIN. THE CLOWN.
From the New York Times
That the makeup is not confined to the
profession any wholesale druggists catalogue
viii testify. Lily white, pearl powder. bloom of
youth, with innumerable bushes and emotions
in solid or fluid conditions, are ALWAYS purchas-
able. Just as we use ruddIe to mark sheep. 30
does finer grade Of pigment find market for
human cheeks. The most preposterous thing
about the use of such coiors is that confidence
which, in private life, the painted one possesses
in regard to the sham perpetrated. Under q
very thick veil made-up face may occasionally
escape detection, although the brightness of the
cOlors, but half concealed generally leads to the
suppostiOn that paint is present
10 the verieSt tyrO false colOrs are at once
however, discernible, for there really never
has been any pigment yet discovered
that in the least resembled that
roseate hue which nature irnparts to
healthy skin. Of course, distance NAV lend
enchantment to the view. but across a car a
dinner-table, even the width of a drawing room
q patch OF color. from its immObiity, leads to
its detection. Still. there might be more art
employed by women who in private life deco
rate their skins. for sometimes il is daubed on
very badly. If it must be done, and the sham
be perpetrated, why not show some skill about
1t! The prime cost of the material the method
of application, can of course be no object. If
woman with the least comprehension of effect
fnds it Impossible to work up her own canvas,
why does she not hire some one who can !?
- Madame" might say the air-dresser. "would
she excuse him? But, decidedly the effective
ness OF Madame's supreme loneliness would be
heightened by certain additions, which, if Judi
clOusy applied, would indeed render her charms
more respondent. 1t is an art Would Madame
permit him." Then at once the ice would be
broken for Madame would understand what
was meant and certainly instead of cOlOrs which
"swore, the critic might at least enjoy pic
ture presenting certain harmonies Of tint.
II never permissible in ordinary life. for old
Ben Franklns savage remark about painted
women has left it's sting. on the boards it be-
comes a necessity. Though the footlights of
the future will beam with electricity. and the
yellow glare Of gas be a thing of the past actors
and actresses will still paint their faces. 1t is
not alone because the distance between the
stage and the audience is very great and so the
contour of face is lost and false light is i'm
parted but there are other reasons of an ideal
character. Notwithstanding that keenness of
perception which we have. that imaginative
faculty which is fOstered during a theatrical
performance. we want more help. 1t is beyond
the power of the greatest mimic to be always
holding in check his facial muscles Permanently
OF an emotional character must be printed
on the actors face, whether it be in tragedy
or comedy. The ancients understood this
perfectly, and adopted the mask. 1t was con-
ventional of course, and would scarcely be I'M
derstOOd to-day. but, then how supreme must
have been the talent of the actor who, bv his
declamatOry power, while his face was as rigid
as marble, still moved an audience to tears or
laughter Mr.. Joseph HattOn. in very pleas
ant article in Harpe's Magazine, describes MIR.
Henry Irving and his makeup" ''See him
sitting there at the dressing table where he is
model to himself; where he converts himself
into the character he is sustaining. His own
face is his canvas his own person. for the time
being, the lay figure which he adorns.
The right of his mirror may be called his palette
1T is an assortment Of cOlOrs. paint-pots.
powders and brushes; but in hand instead of
the maul-stick. is the familiar hare's-foot-the
actors best friend from the earliest days of
rouge and burned cork"
Between then the inqea,.e who is to come
slmpering on the stage. with her cheeks all
a-blOOm and the actor who is to present hmselfas
character just stepping out OF the frame of a
fanDyke, there is all the difference between
the commonplace and the highest art A clown.
though he were Grimaldi with his spots of
motley color on his jowl, might use a stencil
a Booth as a"Richelieu' exercises on his face all
the consummate skill Of great traGedan He
has not taken any effect at random He has
81 uuitu OI the time anu laid down
every line. Fechter was wonderfully perfect in
the art of the make up" and preserved those
traditions OF the French stage which the incOm-
parable Frederic Lemaitre had handed down to
him.
Before the writer is little book bound in
blue which is entitled "A Makeup Book" 1t is
presented to that wOrld-a pretty large one
composed OF readers, concert singers, and
others, as we'll as actors" and is intended to
teach them how to make up SO that they
shall avoid that pallid, frightened, older APP
pearance, and Obviate its disagreeable effects
upon the spectators" Among the enumeration
OF those to whom this little book is available
the comprehensive "Others" means q great deal
DO lecturers ever use rouge? OF course they
do There is one very accomplished lecturer
VINO discusses yearly grave series of topics
before Young Mems Christian AssOciat ions who
never wears dress coat save on such solemn
occasions. and with his dress coat as part of the
costume invariably rOuges his cheeks.
Use grease paints" says the little book, ''for
these do not fail the performer in so hazardous
manner. (as water-cOlOrs. it is presumed, } for
perspration Oozes through them, and can be
easily shaken from the brOws and face by seve-
raj sharp, quick jerks Of the head" 1t is then
quite supposable that Richard I'LL. after a
peculiarly energetic scene. goes to the wings,
and, lire Newfoundland dog after swim be-
spatters his surroundings by these several
sharp, quick jerks Of the head" But greasy
pant must be at times quite Objectionable
Think of an OleaginOus Romeo leaving an i'm
print Of his cocoa-buttered head on the sweet
face OF his Juliet. That these criticisms appear
to have solid foundation appears from the
fact that ''ladies, even gentlemen, fidget over
the idea Of being creased up" They shrink at
first from being "daubed." as they sometimes
tersely expressit like Indians with war paint.
but they subsequently learn their mis-
take" Grease paint is even beneficial, so the
author tells us. 1t sOftens the skin, makes the
face more hexibleto expression, and even makes
it feel more agreeable than without it, "SOme
little disadvantages are not to be made too much
of. If you grease your face you ought to keep
on the mask, even after the performance. 1t
is best not to wash at the theater. The warm.
heated skin exposed shortly after to the outer
cold air is likely to suffer in consequence. = r
1t is even better not to wash the face after
reaching home. *** 1t Is best to let it re-
main on the face over night" Evidently the
writer OF this book, wholly taken up with the
greatness of the subject and requirements of
art, is quite forgetful of the landady, on whose
pillows head exuding grease will leave its
histriOnic traces
Grease paints run through the whole gamut
OF celors adapted not only to age but to an
thropoogcal considerations. There are not
less than 10 colors adapted to youth. the same
for manhood; old age uses IL, and then there
are SpPeal Diurnpnfs ovpciao Moore