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

This stage set design was created by Eugène Cicéri in 19th century Paris, using watercolor and graphite on paper. While these materials are traditional for drawing, the subject is not. Stage design was a burgeoning field in the 1800s. It required a unique combination of artistic vision and technical know-how, particularly regarding the illusion of three-dimensionality on a flat surface. The sketchiness of the design also reflects the collaborative nature of theater production. Cicéri probably made this drawing to communicate his ideas to set builders, costume designers, and other members of the production team. It captures the atmosphere that he envisioned, rather than a precise blueprint. Thinking about this drawing reminds us that all art is made in a social context, and that even something as seemingly ephemeral as a stage set can have lasting cultural significance.