Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)

(Russian/French, 1892-1990)

Regarded as the originator of the Art Deco movement, Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) is recognized the world over for his lavish designs and groundbreaking style.

At 18 years old, the Russian-born artist made his home in Paris, France where he eventually found his niche in fashion design, beginning in 1915, illustrating over 200 covers for Harper’s Bazaar magazine during a run of over 20 years. Additionally, his work appeared in numerous other publications, all of which gained him worldwide recognition throughout the 1920s.

Alongside his commercial fashion design craft, he also contributed his stylistically detailed visuals to the French theater, creating everything from costumes to stage design, in the process bringing his incomparable motifs to a large scale for popular productions such as the Folies-Bergère and the Ziegfeld Follies, and outfitting numerous stars with unique and exquisite costume designs, which he continued to do for over 30 years.

During the 1960s, Erté rode the wave of the Art Deco revival and garnered newfound appreciation. To capitalize on this, he worked in mass market processes, creating editions of lithographs and serigraphs, bronze sculptures, vases, and jewelry. He continued working until his death in 1990.