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

Editor: This is Eugène Cicéri’s *Design for a Stage Set at the Opéra, Paris*, created sometime between 1830 and 1890, using drawing, coloured pencil, and printmaking techniques. It's really fascinating how unfinished it looks, yet conveys such a complete, almost dreamlike setting. What do you see in this piece, especially considering the historical context of Parisian opera? Curator: It strikes me as a fascinating intersection of Romanticism's idealization of nature and the spectacle of 19th-century Parisian culture. Consider how opera served as a space not just for artistic expression, but also for social and political negotiation. How might this idyllic, almost escapist landscape speak to or perhaps critique the social realities outside the opera house walls? Editor: That's a great point. The contrast is pretty striking. I guess the escapism aspect of the opera contrasts with, perhaps even reinforces, the less pleasant realities of urban life. Does the unreal landscape, then, reinforce class boundaries, becoming another exclusive domain for the Parisian elite? Curator: Exactly! The Romantic aesthetic often obscured social realities. The design uses exotic foliage that hints at colonial narratives and power dynamics inherent in Parisian society at the time. It begs the question: whose dreams and fantasies are being staged here, and at what cost? Editor: So, on the one hand, you have this beautiful image on the stage. Yet, that beauty exists because of real-world disparities in class and power. This definitely encourages one to view 19th-century Romanticism from a different perspective. Thank you! Curator: Indeed! By exploring Cicéri’s work through an intersectional lens, we reveal not just the artistry, but also the complex social and political textures woven into its very fabric. I'm so glad that you asked.