Fantaisiste by Erté

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

Fantaisiste “Whimsical” or “Fanciful”

Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Stamped “Erté, Romain de Tirtoff” (en verso)
Inscribed N°11.010 (en verso)
Gouache on paper

This original gouache from the creative mind of Erté entitled Fantaisiste puts the spotlight on Erté’s high fashion artistry. Oft-called “Father of Art Deco,” this alluring and highly feminine ensemble showcases Erté's fashion-forward sartorial genius. 

Merging Art Deco drama with a more traditional silhouette, Erté designs a strapless dress with a full pleated skirt in a dramatic black and light pink color palette. The frock is punctuated by a bias-cut black bodice and a big black bow at the waist. A myriad of smaller black bows rain down from the bodice, cascading in elegant lines along the skirt's pleats. Erté completed the ensemble with two bow cuffs at the wrists and a bow choker at the neck. His graceful model is highly abstracted, lacking any facial features but punctuated by a shock of cropped black hair and pointy black stilettos. With arms placed in an elegant outstretched pose, Erté's model appears quite poised in the absence of exacting details. Erté’s precise lines and striking color palette pop with dazzling intensity and this elegant gouache on paper underscores the artist's sophisticated point of view and unimpeachable sartorial genius.

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 Circa 1950

Paper: 13 1/2” high by 10” wide
Frame: 20 3/4” high by 16 7/8" wide by 3/4" 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