Design for a Stage Set at the Opéra, Paris 1830 - 1890

Eugène Cicéri’s stage set design for the Opéra in Paris is composed using graphite on paper. The drawing presents a semi-forested, theatrical space, dominated by the organic forms of trees, bushes, and a tiered fountain. Notice how Cicéri uses line and shading to create depth. The grid-like structure underlying the sketch suggests a calculated approach to spatial organization. The composition pulls the viewer into the scene through a contrast between the defined details on the left, featuring a leafy tree and fountain, and the sketchier treatment of the trees on the right. The sketch employs a system of representation that balances naturalistic elements with theatrical artifice. The use of botanical forms and the architectural detail of the fountain create an interplay between the natural and the constructed. This contrast invites us to consider how the stage set, as a form, mediates between the real and the illusory. Through this dynamic, Cicéri's work engages broader questions about representation and space, reminding us of art's capacity to alter perception.