La femme, La Ceinture de Paris

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

La femme, La Ceinture de Paris

Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Inscribed: "No. 10.777 / La ceinture de Paris / Robinson - L'Amoureuse romantique"(en verso)
Gouache on paper

Bright and cheerful, this blooming original gouache from the creative mind of Erté entitled La femme, La Ceinture de Paris embodies the Art Deco glamour and tongue-in-cheek artistry for which the artist’s designs are so beloved. Gleaming in bright white and green colors, this sartorial creation features a classic petticoat and bloomers accented by a profusion of green bows and daisies. Oft-called “Father of Art Deco,” this dazzling ensemble showcases Erté's over-the-top creativity and playful whimsy.

Erté's amorous lover looks like the picture of spring in this voluminous dress. Punctuated by blooms and bows, this costume is highly feminine and quintessentially Erté with its air of drama. A lighthearted and memorable ensemble, this gouache on paper underscores Erté’s clever imagination and fashionable creativity. La femme, La Ceinture de Paris once resided in the private collection of Hélène Martini, the famed director of the Folies Bergères and a close personal friend of Erté. In fact, following the artist’s death in 1990, he left his entire art collection to Martini.

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. 

Dated 1949

Paper: 12” high by 8 1/2” wide
Frame: 17 1/4” high by 14” 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 of Hélène Martini, Paris
Private collection, Paris, 2016
M.S. Rau, New Orleans