The Palais Garnier is riddled with references to antic art, among many other stylistic trends.
Here you can admire the monumental gate of the first landing of the great staircase.
It is flanked by two caryatids made of bronze and yellow Siena and green Swedish marbles. The left one is holding a Gladius sword, then depicting Tragedy, while the other one, resting her arm on a harp, evokes Comedy.
Above this marble architecture are two children leaning on Paris’ coat of arms.
The use of multicolored stones recalls the Roman emperors’ busts sculpted in the Antiquity. Charles Garnier reintroduced color and marble in the architecture, two elements that had been abandoned since the great work of the Palace of Versailles.
The caryatids, women serving as columns to support architecture, are also typical of antic art. For instance, you can see some on the Acropolis of Athens.