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

This watercolor sketch by Eugène Cicéri, a renowned French stage designer, is a design for a stage set at the Opéra in Paris. The drawing depicts a large, draped cloth backdrop with a stylized palm tree, likely for an exotic setting. The fragmented nature of the sketch reflects its intended use as a quick and informal design, meant to be used by the theater's workshops to create the final set piece. Cicéri's work, known for its innovative use of perspective and atmospheric effects, played a significant role in the development of 19th-century stage design.