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Ensemble du décor, Don Pasquale by Erté
- Erté revitalizes the timeless Italian opera, Don Pasquale, with his distinctive flair
- Central to Erté's design is the majestic entrance to a grand hall
- The hall is adorned with lavish drapery, an elegant piano, a plush chaise lounge and decorative palm
- Erté is renowned for his costume and set designs, reinventing theater classics
- Get complete item description here
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1892-1990 | Russian-French
Etude de décor, Don Pasquale
Signed “Erté”(lower right)
Gouache on paper
In this set design for a 1943 production, Erté revitalizes the timeless Italian opera, Don Pasquale,
In this famed Italian comical opera, Pasquale, an elderly bachelor, aims to marry to disinherit his defiant nephew, Ernesto. Dr. Malatesta, their mutual friend, orchestrates a ruse: he introduces Pasquale to Sofronia, who is actually Ernesto's lover, Norina, in. . .
1892-1990 | Russian-French
Etude de décor, Don Pasquale
Signed “Erté”(lower right)
Gouache on paper
In this set design for a 1943 production, Erté revitalizes the timeless Italian opera, Don Pasquale,
In this famed Italian comical opera, Pasquale, an elderly bachelor, aims to marry to disinherit his defiant nephew, Ernesto. Dr. Malatesta, their mutual friend, orchestrates a ruse: he introduces Pasquale to Sofronia, who is actually Ernesto's lover, Norina, in disguise. After a fake marriage, Norina, as Sofronia, becomes a demanding wife, driving Pasquale to despair. As tensions rise, Malatesta reveals the deception, teaching Pasquale about the pitfalls of old men marrying young women. Pasquale blesses Ernesto and Norina's union, concluding the opera with a lesson on the dangers of vanity-driven marriages. This timeless plot, accompanied by Erté's modern Art Deco set designs, would have created a riveting performance, enjoyed by the artist's fashionable 20th century audience.
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 1943
Paper: 9” high by 16” wide
Frame: 15” high by 22 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:
Serge Leeman, Paris
Private collection, Paris
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Buy With Confidence
For over a century, we've placed important art, rare jewels and exceptional objects with more than 14,000 collectors worldwide, and have been recognized by trusted publications including Robb Report, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and more.
On Approval
Examine select works in person before you commit
125% Guarantee
Full credit plus 5% annual appreciation for five years
Trusted Expertise
Over two centuries of combined experience across our specialists
