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

Editor: This is Eugène Cicéri’s “Design for a Stage Set at the Opéra, Paris,” placing us sometime between 1830 and 1890. It's a pencil and printed drawing. The gridded effect makes it feel very technical and planned, almost mathematical in its depiction of this landscape. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: Well, it’s fascinating how Cicéri blends artistic vision with the practicalities of stage design. The mountains in the backdrop aren’t just mountains, are they? They’re romantic ideals, looming presences, promising drama to unfold. Look closely at the gridding; each square is a microcosm, a space to populate with dreams. And doesn’t that muted palette just amplify the dreamlike quality? Almost faded with time, you know? I find myself wondering, what play were they dreaming up? Editor: That's a great point about the palette adding to that dreamlike feeling. I hadn’t considered that each grid was its own potential space. Do you think he intentionally used such a limited palette? Curator: Absolutely intentional! Think about stage lighting of the time – it wouldn’t be able to handle bold colours. The subdued tones allowed for a greater manipulation through light and shadow, creating depth and mood. Like painting with whispers rather than shouts. Does the grid feel like a limitation or a launchpad now? Editor: I definitely see the grid differently now. It feels more like the framework for the drama that could fill the stage. Curator: Exactly! It is as much about what *isn't* there as what *is*. Makes you wonder about the collaborative nature of theatre design, the layers of interpretation built into something so seemingly simple. Editor: I never thought about stage design as having so much depth. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. I see this work more vividly now. A tiny, magical peek into a grand opera still yet to be composed.