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

This stage set design was made by Eugène Cicéri in 19th century Paris, using pencil on paper. The drawing shows us the artistry and planning involved behind the scenes, before the curtain goes up. It also represents a specific method: not painting scenery directly, but designing it in advance, and on paper. You can see the dimensions are written right on the drawing, likely for a team of scenographers to execute, following Cicéri's vision. These weren't traditional art materials, more like the everyday tools of architects and engineers. The scenography trade itself was a collaborative affair, balancing artistic vision with practical know-how. The design is all about creating an illusion, turning a flat stage into a believable world for the audience, full of drama, escapism, and perhaps a bit of spectacle for the rising bourgeois. Thinking about materials, making, and context helps us understand what the designer hoped to achieve. It blurs the lines between art and craft.