TIME examines an array of stages at conventions from 1868 to present, where evolutions in technology, fashion and architecture have all played a role in how a candidate is portrayed.
More photo galleries from the DNC and RNC:
The Art of Political Stagecraft
CHRISTOPHER MORRIS / VII FOR TIME
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is shown on the jumbo screens at the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 27, 2012. RNC spokesman Kyle Downey expressed to TIME that the RNC wanted evoke a warm feeling, something that resembled a family room. But at the same time, “We can turn the stage into a factory floor, a Midwest farm or a panoramic,” said Downey.
