Design for a Stage Set at the Opéra, Paris 1840 - 1890

Editor: Here we have Eugène Cicéri's "Design for a Stage Set at the Opéra, Paris," created sometime between 1840 and 1890. It’s a pencil drawing, and right away, I’m struck by the dreamy, almost ethereal quality of the scene. It seems to blend Parisian architecture with an imagined exotic landscape. What catches your eye about this piece? Curator: You know, it's fascinating how Cicéri plays with the notion of place. Those pyramids on the horizon! A wink to Egyptomania, perhaps? Stage design in the 19th century was all about transporting audiences to far-off lands, stirring up a bit of escapism with historical romanticism. I imagine the flickering gaslight playing on this backdrop, shadows dancing...It’s pure theatre! What kind of atmosphere do you think he was aiming for? Editor: That makes sense. Given that the Opéra in Paris has traditionally represented love and dramatic scenes, could this stage design, featuring both buildings and a desert-like background with the Nile and the pyramids, be aiming to evoke a mood that captures both sides of humanity? The human drama alongside timeless mysteries and nature? Curator: Absolutely! I mean, the best stage designs don't just show you a place; they set the mood. Cicéri gives us the pyramids whispering about ancient grandeur juxtaposed against, what could have been, the bustling buildings in Paris hinting at human drama and desires... I get shivers thinking about it. How do you think it succeeds in blending realism and fantasy? Editor: The detail is amazing, even with just pencil, but also there is a sense of spaciousness in the plains between the river and the Pyramids and buildings. It certainly inspires wonder, and creates the desire to learn more about the themes it brings together, which are many. Curator: Yes, me too! That's the power of a good stage design, and great art too: It doesn't give you all the answers; it provokes you to dream up your own. What a thought-provoking peek into Cicéri's imaginative world.