Fotoreproductie van een tekening, voorstellende de trap in de Opéra Garnier te Parijs c. 1875 - 1885

This is a reproduction of a drawing depicting the grand staircase of the Opéra Garnier in Paris. The staircase dominates the composition, flanked by ornate balustrades and teeming with figures in formal attire. Note the architectural ornamentation, a modern interpretation of classical motifs—columns, arches, and sculptural figures. These symbols of power and status, rooted in antiquity, speak to a desire for grandeur and legitimacy. We see echoes of this in the Italian Renaissance, where similar motifs were revived to express wealth. Consider how these forms, charged with historical meaning, elicit a sense of awe and aspiration, subconsciously engaging the viewer. Like palatial staircases in ancient palaces, this one serves as a stage for social display and a silent language of power. The grandeur of the Opéra Garnier, reflected in this staircase, demonstrates the eternal recurrence and adaptation of symbols.