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

This stage set design was created by Eugène Cicéri for the Paris Opéra, and is made of graphite on paper. In this sketch, Cicéri has rendered a palatial interior with a kind of loose precision. The medium of graphite allows for the quick development of a design, and the paper acts as a readily available surface. Graphite, being easily erasable, facilitated corrections, and modifications during the creative process. Notice how the inherent qualities of graphite, its darkness, and the texture it imparts on paper, are all intentionally used here. There is a direct connection between the labor of the artist, and the final visual qualities of the artwork. While stage set design might not be considered high art, it involves skilled traditions and creative practices. The design ultimately serves the spectacle, an element of Parisian culture that was closely associated with wealth and class. Ultimately, this artwork illustrates how materials, making, and context are all crucial to understanding its full meaning.