Fine Art M.S. Rau | La Dame De Trefle By Erte

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

La Dame De Trèfle
(Lady Of Clubs)

Gouache On Paper

This Costume Designed By Erté Encapsulates An Important Symbol In Giuseppe Verdi’S Famed Opera La Traviata. In Act Ii, During A Gambling Scene, Characters Draw Attention To Several Playing Cards. They Become Catalysts For Heated Exchanges Between The Protagonists, Serving As As A Visual Emblem Of Their Ill-Fated Love Affair’S Destiny. For A 1948 Performance Of The Classic Opera, Erté Melds Traditional Playing Card Imagery With Modern Stylized Forms To Fashion The Costume.

La Dame De Trèfle, Or Lady Of Clubs, Functions As A Metaphorical Motif Symbolizing The Juxtaposition Between Public Appearances And Private Realities. Erté Places The Masked Woman On A Deep Grey Background, Emphasizing The Shadowy And Unseen Forces At Play In The Scene. Even So, The Crowned Lady Exudes An Enigmatic Magnetism, Holding A Flower To Her Face In A Gloved Hand.

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.

Painted 1948

Paper: 14 3/8″ High X 10 3/8″ Wide
Frame: 20 7/8″ High X 16 7/8″ Wide X 5/8″ 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