Balthasar by Erté

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

Balthasar

Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Inscribed "Les Rois des Légendes / No. 15 / Costume pour Balthasar / 1919" (en verso)
Gouache on paper

Erté designed this costume for a 1919 production of Les Rois des Légendes, a performance that showcased a variety of legendary kings from throughout history. One of the three Magi, Balthasar is said to have brought the gift of myrrh on his fateful trip to Bethlehem. Erté has carefully rendered the incense in each of the king’s hands, while his long braided beard nearly skims the floor. Customarily depicted as an African man in retellings of the tale of the Three Kings, Balthasar is costumed in patterns that appear to draw both on Orientalist depictions of North Africa and Erté’s own Art Deco geometries.

Paris witnessed a remarkable cultural synthesis during the Art Deco period, and Orientalism played a significant role in shaping the city's artistic and intellectual milieu. At the same 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, often considered the naissance of the Art Deco style, many artisans showcased Eastern-inspired designs and a growing appreciation for non-Western aesthetics. Depictions of biblical figures like Balthasar melded Orientalist aesthetics into Paris' artistic output in a new way.

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

Painted 1919

Paper: 15 1/4” high by 11 1/8” wide
Frame: 21 1/8” high by 17 1/4” 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 of Serge Leeman
Private collection, Paris
M.S. Rau, New Orleans