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

This is Eugène Cicéri’s stage set design for the Paris Opéra, made with pen, brown ink, and watercolor on paper. The composition balances the organic and the architectural. On the left, fluid brushstrokes form a towering tree and soft foliage. To the right, a darker, stylized ruin stands in stark contrast. The palette of earthy browns and muted greens evokes a somber atmosphere. Consider the use of form here. Cicéri creates a dialogue between nature and artifice. Are the stage sets imitating reality, or constructing their own version of nature? This tension mirrors debates about the role of art in the 19th century. The loose brushwork and unfinished quality also suggest a move away from strict realism. The stage set design can be seen as a visual metaphor for the theater itself. It's a constructed world where art and nature intertwine.