Design for a Stage Set at the Opéra, Paris
1830–90
Medium
Graphite
Dimensions
Irregular sheet: 9 9/16 x 2 7/16 in. (24.3 x 6.2 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1953
Accession Number
53.529.47
Tags
Art Historical Context
Eugène Cicéri'sDesign for a Stage Set the Opéra, Paris (ca. 1830–90) offers a glimpse into the theatrical magic of 19th-century France. Created during a golden age for the Paris Opéra—one of Europe's most lavish cultural institutions—this graphite drawing captures the intricate planning behind grand stage architecture. Cicéri, a in scenic design, sketched buildings and spatial illusions that brought operas and ballets to life, evoking the Romantic era's love for dramatic spectacle and architectural fantasy. Rendered in graphite on an irregular sheet measuring just 9 9/16 x 2 7/16 inches, the ...
About the Artist
Eugène Cicéri · 1813–1890
Étienne Eugène Cicéri (1813-1890) was a French painter, lithographer, and theatrical designer who became a notable figure in the Barbizon School movement. Born in Paris on January 27, 1813, into an illustrious artistic family, he was the son of renowned scenographer Pierre-Luc-Charles Cicéri and the nephew of painter Eugène Isabey. Cicéri occupies an important position in 19th-century French land...