Fine Art M.S. Rau | Volute By Erte

Erté (Romain De Tirtoff)
1892-1990 | Russian-French

Volute
Signatures

Signed “Erté” (Middle Right)
Stamped “Succession Erté, Boulogne 1990”(En Verso)
Gouache Paper

By Employing His Name As An Abstract Element, Erté Uses This Design To Solidify His Enduring Association With The Art Deco Movement. Positioned Over A Striking Red Form, His Name, Written Multiple Times In Different Scripts, Assumes A Rose-Like Shape, Dispersed Across The Red Backdrop. While Erté Was Undeniably A Luminary In His Field, He Also Possessed A Distinctive Humility, Deeply Appreciative Of The Cultural Weight And Social Import His Name Carried, As Emphasized By This Remarkable Creation.

Russian-French Visionary Romain De Tirtoff (1892-1990), Popularly Known As Erté, Began His Artistic Journey In The Culturally Rich City Of St. Petersburg, Where He Developed An Early Fondness For Ballet And Theatrical Performances. He Moved To Paris In 1912 To Study Architecture, And Quickly Found His Creative Niche In Crafting Fantastical Costumes For The City’S Bustling Nightlife. Erté‘S Expertise, Refined Under The Guidance Of The Famed Paul Poiret, Captured The Attention Of Harper’S Bazaar, Marking The Beginning Of A Significant Partnership That Spanned From 1915 To 1936. The Artist Also Designed Sets For Notable Cinematic Masterpieces Including Ben Hur And La Bohème, And Created Sets And Costumes For Cabarets, Operas And Other Performances At The Folies-Bergères, Bal Tabarin, The Théâtre Du Bataclan And Le Casino De Paris. Erté Was A Trailblazer Whose Colorful Creations Shaped The Groundbreaking Art Deco Era More Than Any Other, Leaving An Indelible Mark On The History Of Art And Design. His Artworks Reside In Prestigious Museum Collections Worldwide, Including The Metropolitan Museum Of Art In New York, The Victoria &Amp; Albert Museum In London And The Los Angeles County Museum Of Art.

Circa 1990

Paper: 11“ High X 9 1/2” Wide
Frame: 19 1/4″ High X 16 1/8″ Wide X 3/4″ Deep

Provenance:
Private Collection, Paris
M.S. Rau, New Orleans

Exhibitions:
M.S. Rau, New Orleans, Erté And The Era Of Art Deco, October 14, 2023 – January 3, 2024