Ce n'est que votre main, Madame by Erté

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

Ce n’est que votre main, Madame (It's only your hand, Madame)

Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Inscribed "No. 18.352 / Ce n’est que votre main, Madame / Costume" (en verso) Gouache on paper

In Ce n’est que votre main, Madame, Erté adeptly renders a design that is both glamorous and humorous. The redhead's gloves have seemingly fallen off and transformed into her long-trained skirt. Her jewels, coiffed hair and elegant pose toe the line between sophistication and camp.

Fashion underwent a radical transformation in the Art Deco period. The designs of Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Jean Patou, characterized by their boldness and modernity, redefined feminine style. The couture houses of the Avenue Montaigne and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré set global trends, making Paris the undisputed capital of fashion. High society flocked to opulent parties and balls, with the city’s elite showcasing the latest haute couture creations. Erté’s sartorial masterpieces found acclaim among many fashionistas and socialites, who often viewed his designs in publications including Harper’s Bazaar.

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 1974

Paper: 7 1/2" high x 12" wide
Frame: 13 1/8" high x 17 5/8" wide x 5/8" deep

Provenance:
Private collection, Roland Petit et Zizi Jeanmaire, Paris
Private collection, Paris
M.S. Rau, New Orleans

Exhibitions:
Musée Rath, Genève, Zizi Jeanmaire – Roland Petit. Un patrimoine pour la danse, April -August 2007
M.S. Rau, New Orleans, Erté and the Era of Art Deco, October 14, 2023 - January 3, 2024