L'hiver by Erté

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

L'hiver
(The winter)

Signed “Erté” (lower right)
Inscribed “356 / L'hiver” (en verso)
Gouache and gold on paper

Erté crafted this elegant costume in gold and black, entitled L'hiver, for a character in the production of Mah-Jongg. This performance shares its name with Chinese tile-based game that blends skill, strategy and luck, and has gained global popularity. The costume's title, translated to Winter, corresponds to one of the four seasons represented in the game's tiles.

The figure dons an overcoat designed to reflect the chill suggested by the costume’s title. Comprising four visible layers in alternating black and gold, the coat is adorned with intricate geometric patterns and features voluminous sleeves. The character's face subtly emerges above these layers, crowned by an exquisite headpiece adorned with flowing golden tassels.

Thanks to the breadth of the artist’s cultural experiences in his youth, Erté’s visionary Art Deco style looked to both the glory of the ancient world and the allure of Eastern artistic traditions. Erté melded the iconic motifs of ancient Greece and Rome with modern sensuality and style in his costuming and set design, particularly for the performances of ancient tales like Helen of Sparta and Hercules. The artist also prominently showcased Asian-inspired designs and a growing appreciation for non-Western aesthetics. The allure of the so-called "Orient" found resonance within the geometric precision emblematic of the Art Deco style.

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. 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 1925

Paper: 14 3/8" high x 10 3/8” wide
Frame: 20 3/4" high x 16 3/4" wide x 3/4" deep

Provenance:
Private collection, Paris
M.S. Rau, New Orleans

Exhibitions:
M.S. Rau, New Orleans, Erté and the Era of Art Deco, October 14, 2023 - January 3, 2024