May 23, 2015 15:50
8 yrs ago
French term
entre-fenêtre
French to English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
Theatre
"There is a gap in the entre-fenêtre (tapestry panel/Leg drops) to allow the players to go backstage and to access the passage to the dressing rooms set up in the large room next door."
The English explanation gives no more idea about what this refers to than the French.
The English explanation gives no more idea about what this refers to than the French.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 1 +2 | masking |
Tony M
|
| 4 | entre-fenêtre |
Charles Davis
|
Proposed translations
+2
4 hrs
Selected
masking
I believe they are using this traditional FR term in a rather pretentious way to describe something much simpler.
Traditional stage sets tend to be either a 'box set' — where the scenerey forms (more or less) flat walls forming three sides of a box (e.g. to represent a room) — the 'fourth wall' on the proscenium side is invisible, it is through this that the audience can see the play.
Otherwise, another traditional form, particualrly applicable to historical FR theatre, is where the 'sides' of the stage are not complete walls, but a staggered arrangement of transverse 'panels' — historically, these coiuld be moved on or off stage on rails let into the stage floor to allow scene changes or transformations. These panels are known as 'legs' when they are formed by long but narrow curtains.
Naturally, these all have to be carefully arranged so that from no point in the auditorium (sight lines) is it possible to see into the wings / backstage area. Sometimes additional curtains (etc.) need to be hung in a (more or less) up-and-down-stage direction to 'fill in the gaps' — this is referred to as 'masking', and I believe this is what the term 'entre-fenêtre' is being used to decribe here — the gaps between the scenery could be likened to the spaces between windows.
So in essecne, I think what the writer is trying to say is that there may be deliberate gaps left in the masking to allow access.
Naturally, I have hugely over-simplified things here, otherwise it could become a comparative treatise on FR and En historical stage design! But there are many excellent reference sources on this subject available on the Internet.
Traditional stage sets tend to be either a 'box set' — where the scenerey forms (more or less) flat walls forming three sides of a box (e.g. to represent a room) — the 'fourth wall' on the proscenium side is invisible, it is through this that the audience can see the play.
Otherwise, another traditional form, particualrly applicable to historical FR theatre, is where the 'sides' of the stage are not complete walls, but a staggered arrangement of transverse 'panels' — historically, these coiuld be moved on or off stage on rails let into the stage floor to allow scene changes or transformations. These panels are known as 'legs' when they are formed by long but narrow curtains.
Naturally, these all have to be carefully arranged so that from no point in the auditorium (sight lines) is it possible to see into the wings / backstage area. Sometimes additional curtains (etc.) need to be hung in a (more or less) up-and-down-stage direction to 'fill in the gaps' — this is referred to as 'masking', and I believe this is what the term 'entre-fenêtre' is being used to decribe here — the gaps between the scenery could be likened to the spaces between windows.
So in essecne, I think what the writer is trying to say is that there may be deliberate gaps left in the masking to allow access.
Naturally, I have hugely over-simplified things here, otherwise it could become a comparative treatise on FR and En historical stage design! But there are many excellent reference sources on this subject available on the Internet.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jennifer Levey
: Interpretation of the context and meaning is spot-on. Not so sure about the translation 'masking' in this specific instance, but ... I ain't done any of this stage-manager stuff in the past 40+ years and memories, sadly, are fading ...
2 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Robin! Well, it's all so context-specific; I get the impression this may well be a historical text, or at least, a text about theatrical history — and I imagine in France.
|
|
| agree |
claude-andrew
: I suggest you translate "There is a gap in the entre-fenêtre" as "There is a gap between the tapestry panel and the leg drops".
15 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Claude!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to everyone who contributed. I decided to simply indicate that there is a gap in the tapestry, rather than try to give a full explanation to an unfamiliar audience."
33 mins
entre-fenêtre
The French term is used for this in English:
"A pair of Napoleon III tapestry entre fenetres third quarter 19th century. Lot 2223"
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18258/lot/2223/
"Set of four narrow Gobelins tapestry panels (entre-fenêtres), from the series Les Portières des Dieux"
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/3188/les-portie...
I find one instance of "'infill pieces' to go between windows" in this book about tapestries, but it's not an established term and it's not specific enough to serve as a general-purpose translation:
https://books.google.es/books?id=_QR66M39cD4C&pg=PA345&lpg=P...
If you think it needs to be made clearer you could add "to go between windows" after "tapestry panel" in the explanation in parentheses in your source text.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 35 mins (2015-05-23 16:26:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The literal meaning of the French words is "between window", meaning that it's a tapestry designed to fill a gap between windows, so it's relatively narrow compared to its height.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2015-05-23 17:31:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I have an uneasy feeling that I may not have given you what you need. The dictionary definition of "entre-fenêtre", in French, is "part of a wall between two windows", and by extension it's a tapestry designed to fill that space, which implies a certain shape, typically fairly narrow: perhaps 1.5 metres or so.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2015-05-23 19:05:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here the "entre-fenêtre" is a panel of tapestry, of the shape described, hanging over a gap in the back of a stage set. It may be literally between windows, if the scenery includes are windows in the scenery at the back, or it may simply be between columns or other elements. There is a gap through which the actors can go backstage; this presumably means a vertical cut or split, so that rather than being a single piece of tapestry (or imitation tapestry) it is apparently in two halves.
Here is an illustration of "leg drops" which will give you an idea, I think. Click on the second illustration from the left:
http://www.schellscenic.com/themes/Castle-I/default.asp
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2015-05-23 19:06:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Sorry: line 2 of the note I've just added should read "if the scenery at the back includes windows".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2015-05-24 09:17:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The term here refers to some kind of fabric or drapery hung at the back of a theatre stage to cover a gap space between two solid structural elements. That is what "leg drops" are, as the part in parentheses indicates. Here's a definition of this term:
"Drop:
A fabric curtain which reaches the stage floor.
Leg Drop:
Usually made in pairs, one on each side of the stage, normally much higher than wide."
http://www.tiffinscenic.com/stageterms.html
So the proper term for this object in this context is a leg drop.
The text also says "tapestry panel". That is what an "entre-fenêtre" is, as I have explained. So as I understand it, the thing they are talking about is a leg drop that is or looks like a tapestry panel. And it has a gap through which the actors can pass. It could be a gap in the form of a split or division in the middle of the leg drop itself, or perhaps it could be a gap between the fabric leg drop and the scenery beside it (so it's not attached).
"A pair of Napoleon III tapestry entre fenetres third quarter 19th century. Lot 2223"
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18258/lot/2223/
"Set of four narrow Gobelins tapestry panels (entre-fenêtres), from the series Les Portières des Dieux"
http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/3188/les-portie...
I find one instance of "'infill pieces' to go between windows" in this book about tapestries, but it's not an established term and it's not specific enough to serve as a general-purpose translation:
https://books.google.es/books?id=_QR66M39cD4C&pg=PA345&lpg=P...
If you think it needs to be made clearer you could add "to go between windows" after "tapestry panel" in the explanation in parentheses in your source text.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 35 mins (2015-05-23 16:26:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The literal meaning of the French words is "between window", meaning that it's a tapestry designed to fill a gap between windows, so it's relatively narrow compared to its height.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2015-05-23 17:31:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I have an uneasy feeling that I may not have given you what you need. The dictionary definition of "entre-fenêtre", in French, is "part of a wall between two windows", and by extension it's a tapestry designed to fill that space, which implies a certain shape, typically fairly narrow: perhaps 1.5 metres or so.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2015-05-23 19:05:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here the "entre-fenêtre" is a panel of tapestry, of the shape described, hanging over a gap in the back of a stage set. It may be literally between windows, if the scenery includes are windows in the scenery at the back, or it may simply be between columns or other elements. There is a gap through which the actors can go backstage; this presumably means a vertical cut or split, so that rather than being a single piece of tapestry (or imitation tapestry) it is apparently in two halves.
Here is an illustration of "leg drops" which will give you an idea, I think. Click on the second illustration from the left:
http://www.schellscenic.com/themes/Castle-I/default.asp
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2015-05-23 19:06:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Sorry: line 2 of the note I've just added should read "if the scenery at the back includes windows".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2015-05-24 09:17:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The term here refers to some kind of fabric or drapery hung at the back of a theatre stage to cover a gap space between two solid structural elements. That is what "leg drops" are, as the part in parentheses indicates. Here's a definition of this term:
"Drop:
A fabric curtain which reaches the stage floor.
Leg Drop:
Usually made in pairs, one on each side of the stage, normally much higher than wide."
http://www.tiffinscenic.com/stageterms.html
So the proper term for this object in this context is a leg drop.
The text also says "tapestry panel". That is what an "entre-fenêtre" is, as I have explained. So as I understand it, the thing they are talking about is a leg drop that is or looks like a tapestry panel. And it has a gap through which the actors can pass. It could be a gap in the form of a split or division in the middle of the leg drop itself, or perhaps it could be a gap between the fabric leg drop and the scenery beside it (so it's not attached).
Note from asker:
| Does it make any real difference say that it's "There is a gap in the tapestry to allow..."? |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Jennifer Levey
: This isn't really about tapestry at all, it's about theatre stage scenery which has a language of its own - albeit drawn from other areas of 'the arts'.
5 hrs
|
|
Well, I don't know about that. The ST says "tapesty panel". Why can't this bit of scenery be a tapesty (imitation, presumably)?
|
Discussion