Fine Art M.S. Rau | La Dionee Dite Gobe-Mouches By Erte

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

La Dionée Dite Gobe-Mouches (Venus Flytrap)

Signed “Erté” (Lower Right)
Inscribed #20 (En Verso)
Gouache On Paper

Daring And Mysterious, This Original Gouache From The Creative Mind Of Erté Features The Sinuous Figure Of A Woman Wearing A Unique Ebony And Sanguine Body Suit With A Dramatic Wing-Like Cape. Entitled La Dionée Dite Gobe-Mouches Or Venus Flytrap, This Work Embodies The Art Deco Glamour And Tongue-In-Cheek Artistry For Which The Artist’S Designs Are So Beloved. Inspired By The Famed Volume Of Poems From Iconic French Writer Charles Baudelaire, This Ensemble Showcases Erté’S Sartorial Interpretation Of La Vampire From Baudelaire’S Les Fleurs Du Mal. This Elegant Composition Exudes The Quintessential Opulence And Drama That Only Erté, The Oft-Called “Father Of Art Deco,” Could Achieve.

La Dionée Dite Gobe-Mouches Showcases The Breadth Of Erté’S Creativity And His Design Expertise. First Published In 1857, Baudelaire’S Les Fleurs Du Mal Was Controversial For Its Suggestive Content And Themes Of Decadence And Eroticism. The Volume Provided A Wealth Of Inspiration For Erté And He Drew From Several Specific Poems To Create Original Fashion Sketches And Designs. This Dark And Dramatic Design Plays Upon The Poem La Vampire And Erté Cleverly Names His Design After A Carnivorous Bloom. Marked By Red Piping Sprawling Out Like Plant Roots — Or Arteries — The Figure Outstretches Her Arms To Transform Her Black Cape Into A Set Of Wings. A Combination Of High Fashion And Double Entendre, Erté’S Artistic Interpretations Of Baudelaire’S Words Showcase His Clever Imagination And Sophisticated Point Of View.

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. Often Remembered As The “Father Of Art Deco,” 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 1917

Paper: 10 1/2” High By 7” Wide
Frame: 17 1/8” High By 14 1/8” Wide By 5/8″ Deep

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

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