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

This design for a stage set at the Opéra, Paris, was made by Eugène Cicéri using graphite and paper. Although seemingly simple, this work reflects a complex relationship between art, labor, and the spectacle of opera in 19th-century Paris. Consider how Cicéri used the humble materials of graphite and paper to envision a grand theatrical experience. The graphite lines capture a scene of nature, a backdrop for dramatic performances. The design is not just an artistic creation, but a blueprint that would eventually involve the labor of carpenters, painters, and stagehands to bring it to life on a grand scale. The materials used in the design of the stage, combined with the work of all of the artisans needed for the creation of this stage, blurs the line between art and craft. Here we see an intimate drawing that acts as a guide to a much larger production that employs the skills of many different craftsmen. The theater was a place of both artistic expression and commercial enterprise, a place where art and labor meet.