SUNDAY REVIEW / ART DECO CENTURY / ERTE

Symphony in Black, Erte, 1983

Romain de Tirtoff, better known by his pseudonym Erté (the French pronunciation of his initials "R.T."), was a Russian-born French artist and designer who became one of the most iconic figures of the Art Deco era. 

Born in 1892 in St. Petersburg, Erté defied his aristocratic family's expectations by moving to Paris and pursuing a career in fashion and the arts. Erté’s signature style—elegant, elongated figures, lavish costumes, stylized geometry, and theatrical flair—defined much of the visual language of the 1920s and 1930s. 

He worked across multiple disciplines: fashion illustration, set and costume design, graphic arts, and even sculpture and jewelry. His illustrations graced over 200 covers of Harper’s Bazaar, captivating readers with a blend of sophistication and fantasy. More than just decorative, Erté's work embodied the very essence of the Art Deco movement: luxury, glamour, modernity, and a deep fascination with form and style. 

His influence extended into Hollywood, Broadway, and haute couture, and his legacy helped keep the Art Deco aesthetic alive well into the late 20th century revival. In short, Erté didn’t just contribute to the Art Deco century—he helped define it. 

Romain moved to Paris at 14 and enrolled at the Academie Julien to pursue fashion and stage design. At this time he also changed his name to Erte, which was the French phonetic pronunciation of his initials. In 1913, he landed his first job with the leading French designer, Paul Poiret. His design style was heavily influenced by the elaborate and glamorous costumes and sets of the Parisian Music Halls and this would become his signature 'look'. His fashion illustrations graced the covers of Vogue, Cosmopolitan and most notably, Harper's Bazaar, for which he produced over 200 covers and other artwork. Erté's illustrations ooze sophistication and glamour and are synonymous with the Art Deco aesthetic - streamlined, geometric, highly stylized, boldly coloured and ultra-cool. He designed numerous costumes and sets for the famous Folies-Bergere in Paris and The Ziegfeld Follies in New York, as well as for the opera La boheme, and the epic film Ben-Hur. When Art Deco fell out of favour in the 1940s and 1950s, so did Erté's designs. However, with the renewed interest in all things Deco in the 1960s he began what biographers refer to as a 'second career'.

During this 'renaissance' period (which lasted right until his death in 1990), he created visually stunning fashion serigraphs and bronze sculptures - all in the traditional Art Deco style. His 1982 serigraph, "Symphony in Black", is instantly recognizable and visually captures the essence of Art Deco style.