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

This is Eugène Cicéri’s design for a stage set at the Opéra, Paris, rendered in pencil, pen, and watercolor. The tents, topped with flags, evoke notions of impermanence and the nomadic, yet their ordered arrangement hints at the rigid structures of society. Flags atop structures—a motif stretching back through history, from ancient Roman military standards to medieval heraldry—have long symbolized power, territory, and allegiance. In this context, the flags might reflect the pomp and circumstance of operatic drama, but they also stir deeper cultural memories. Consider how flags have been used in times of war and conquest to rally forces. The tent, as a transient shelter, contrasts starkly with the opera house, a symbol of permanence and cultural tradition. This contrast engages us on a subconscious level, highlighting the tensions between stability and change, tradition and innovation. The tents on stage embody a world of both escape and encounter.