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

This watercolor drawing by Eugène Cicéri is a design for a stage set at the Opéra in Paris, dating back to between 1830 and 1890. Cicéri was a renowned French scenic designer who is known for his dramatic and realistic stage sets. The drawing depicts a partially obscured tree and a crumbling classical column, perhaps evoking a sense of grandeur and decay. The use of subtle brushstrokes and washes gives the design a depth and atmosphere, suggesting a theatrical backdrop. The design is now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.