Design for a Stage Set 1830 - 1890

Eugène Cicéri, a prominent French set designer, created this pencil sketch, "Design for a Stage Set," sometime between 1830 and 1890. The design depicts a lush, overgrown garden setting with trees and plants framing a central, empty space. This is likely a design for a theatrical production, meant to create an illusion of a natural environment on stage. The drawing's delicate lines and shading suggest the detailed craftsmanship of Cicéri's set designs, which were highly regarded in his time. This piece, now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, offers a glimpse into the creative process behind the art of stage design in 19th-century France.