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

Eugène Cicéri designed this stage set for the Paris Opéra using graphite and gray wash on paper. Notice how the grid-like structure permeates the image, undergirding the arches and vaults of the church interior. This is a rare opportunity to see the bones of an illusion. The architecture, painted with deft strokes of the brush, is overlaid by a network of lines. These were essential for translating the design onto the stage. Each square represents a unit of measurement, a module for the scenic painters to scale up. The precision of the grid ensured that the final set would match Cicéri's vision. Think about the labor involved in this process, from the initial design to the execution of the set. The theater was a factory of dreams, where skilled artisans and technicians collaborated to transport audiences to another world. This drawing isn't just a design; it's a blueprint for collective creativity.