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

Eugène Cicéri made this stage set design for the Paris Opéra using graphite on paper. This drawing offers insight into the 19th-century Parisian culture of spectacle and entertainment. Stage design was crucial to creating immersive experiences for opera audiences. Cicéri's architectural rendering, with its imposing building and serene harbor scene, suggests the kind of grand narratives and exotic locales that captivated the Parisian imagination. The grid lines reveal the technical precision required for translating the design into a large-scale stage set. The Opéra itself was a significant institution, reflecting the social and political values of the time. Designers like Cicéri played a vital role in shaping the Opéra's visual identity. The careful attention to detail, along with the harmonious composition, suggests a conservative approach, reinforcing traditional artistic values and hierarchies. To fully understand the social role of this drawing, we can delve into archival material related to the Paris Opéra, as well as examine the broader history of stage design and visual culture in 19th-century France.