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

Eugène Cicéri rendered this stage set design with graphite on paper, envisioning a scene for the Opéra in Paris. A gothic interior is conjured through the scaffolding of faint lines. It is the architecture with its repetition of arches and columns that commands our attention. The design reveals Cicéri’s keen understanding of perspective. The receding lines draw the eye into the imagined space, creating a sense of depth and grandeur. The arches, precisely rendered, frame distant views, suggesting both openness and enclosure. Notice the subtle use of shading, which lends volume to the architectural elements. The underlying grid structure is visible. It’s a framework, a structural skeleton that gives form to the artistic vision. By leaving this scaffolding visible, Cicéri exposes the artifice of stage design, reminding us that what we see is a constructed reality. This hints at how theatrical sets function as semiotic systems, where every line and form is a signifier, contributing to the overall narrative and emotional experience of the opera. This interplay between illusion and structure prompts reflection on the nature of representation itself.