Ave Maria by Erté

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

Ave Maria

Signed “Erté” (center right)
Inscribed “N°1.349 / Victor Herbert Finale / Ave Maria / Décor / G.W.S. 1928” (en verso)
Gouache on paper

Designed for a performance in 1928, Ave Maria reflects the apex of Erté’s expertise in set design. Erté’s vision for the performance feels otherworldly, as he renders a host of angels within the display. Vibrant blue hues intermingle with the warm light of countless candles, imbuing the painting with a transcendent and ethereal air. Erté’s sets did more than match the performances they were designed for; his creations elevated the shows to higher levels of emotional and artistic potency.

The captivating alliance between Erté and the vibrant performing arts scene of Paris transported audiences to new heights throughout the early 20th century. Erté emerged as an unmatched and emblematic creative force whose visionary designs were imbued with an otherworldly appeal. His mesmerizing costume and set designs left an indelible imprint on operatic and theater productions of the period.

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 & Albert Museum in London and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Painted 1928

Paper: 11" high x 15" wide
Frame: 16 7/8" high x 20 3/4" wide x 5/8" deep

Label affixed en verso translates to: "A large, highly stylized statue of the Virgin, all in silver adorned with diamonds, emerges from a pyramid of candles, these candles must be made of cardboard with electric bulbs imitating flames exactly. Below, around the candles, nuns, all dressed in long white robes, are kneeling; they sing while stretching their arms toward the Madonna. From the high crown of the Virgin comes an enormous blue veil with printed designs representing enormous white angels and clouds of different blue tones at the bottom. It is through this veil that we see the statue of the Madonna, the candles and the nuns; it requires very bright lighting behind the veil. The top of the Virgin's crown, which is not veiled by the blue veil, forms like a dome of diamonds. Behind the statue of the Virgin we see an aurora embroidered in diamonds and different shades of blue. This halo is embroidered on the plain black velvet background curtain. It is necessary that the statue of the Virgin is very well sculpted."

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