![Ertesignature](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Ertesignature.svg)
Romain de Tirtoff (23 November 1892 – 21 April 1990) was a
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n-born
French artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...
and designer known by the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Erté, from the French pronunciation of his initials (,
EHR TEH). He was a 20th-century artist and designer in an array of fields, including
fashion
Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion in ...
,
jewellery
Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry (U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a wester ...
,
graphic arts
A category of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of visual artistic expression, typically two-dimensional, i.e. produced on a flat surface. ,
costume
Costume is the distinctive style of dress or cosmetic of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, profession, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch. In short costume is a cultural visual of the people.
The term also was tradition ...
and
set design
Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly trained ...
for film, theatre, and opera, and
interior decor.
Early life
Tirtoff was born Roman Petrovich Tyrtov (Роман Петрович Тыртов) in
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
, to a distinguished family with roots tracing back to 1548, to a
Tatar
The Tatars ()[Tatar]
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different khan named Tyrtov. His father, Pyotr Ivanovich Tyrtov, served as an admiral in the
Russian Fleet.
Career
In 1907, he lived one year in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
. He said about this time "I did not discover
Beardsley until when I had already been in Paris for a year".
''Demoiselle à la balancelle'' is one of Erté's first sculptures, if not the first; it was made in 1907, at the age of 15 years, during a stay in Paris. This work is less precise than his other sculptures, but still
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
. Erté considered this so minor and uninteresting that it does not appear in his official biography, but the cartouche on the back indicates 'ERTE PARIS 1907', in a triangle.
In 1910–12, Romain moved to Paris to pursue a career as a designer. In Paris he lived with Prince Nicolas Ouroussoff (December 17, 1879 – April 8, 1933) up until the prince's death in 1933. The decision to move to Paris was made despite strong objections from his father, who wanted Romain to continue the family tradition and become a naval officer. Romain assumed his pseudonym to avoid disgracing the family. He worked for
Paul Poiret
Paul Poiret (20 April 1879 – 30 April 1944, Paris, France) was a French fashion designer, a master couturier during the first two decades of the 20th century. He was the founder of his namesake haute couture house.
Early life and care ...
from 1913 to 1914. In 1915, he secured his first substantial contract with ''
Harper's Bazaar
''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...
'' magazine, and thus launched an illustrious career that included designing costumes and stage sets. During this time, Erte designed costumes for the
Mata Hari
Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (née Zelle; 7 August 187615 October 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari (), was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I. She was executed by ...
. Between 1915 and 1937, Erté designed over 200 covers for ''Harper's Bazaar'', and his illustrations would also appear in such publications as ''
Illustrated London News
''The Illustrated London News'' appeared first on Saturday 14 May 1842, as the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. Founded by Herbert Ingram, it appeared weekly until 1971, then less frequently thereafter, and ceased publication in ...
'', ''
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Food and drink
* Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo"
History
* Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953
Hotels and resorts
* Cosmopoli ...
'', ''
Ladies' Home Journal
''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. In 18 ...
'', and ''
Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
.''
![Erté Harpers Bazar cover Feb 1922](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Ert%C3%A9_Harpers_Bazar_cover_Feb_1922.jpg)
Erté is perhaps most famous for his elegant fashion designs which capture the
art deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
period in which he worked. One of his earliest successes was designing apparel for the French dancer
Gaby Deslys
Gaby Deslys (born Marie-Elise-Gabrielle Caire, 4 November 1881 – 11 February 1920) was a singer and actress during the early 20th century. She selected her name for her stage career, and it is a contraction of ''Gabrielle of the Lillies'' ...
who died in 1920. His delicate figures and sophisticated, glamorous designs are instantly recognisable, and his ideas and art still influence fashion into the 21st century. His costumes, programme designs, and sets were featured in the
Ziegfeld Follies
The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air ...
of 1923, many productions of the
Folies Bergère
The Folies Bergère () is a cabaret music hall, located in Paris, France. Located at 32 Rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement, the Folies Bergère was built as an opera house by the architect Plumeret. It opened on 2 May 1869 as the Folies Trév ...
,
Bal Tabarin,
Théâtre Fémina
The Théâtre Fémina or Salle Fémina was an entertainment venue located at 90 avenue des Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. It was inside the Hôtel Fémina, designed by the architect .R. 1907, p. 460.
History
Based in the ...
,
Le Lido
Le Lido is a cabaret and burlesque show located on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. It opened in 1946 at 78 Avenue des Champs-Élysées and moved to its current location in 1977. It is known for its exotic shows including dancers, singers ...
and
George White's Scandals
''George White's Scandals'' were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modeled after the ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W. C. Fie ...
. On Broadway, the celebrated French chanteuse
Irène Bordoni
Irène Bordoni (16 January 1885 – 19 March 1953) was a Franco-American actress and singer.
Early years
Bordoni was born in Paris, France, to Sauveur Bordoni, a tailor, and Marie Lemonnier. The 19th-century painter Francis Millet was a great ...
wore Erté's designs.
![Detail,_Harpers_Bazar_-_cover_-_February_1921_-_Erté_(cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Detail%2C_Harpers_Bazar_-_cover_-_February_1921_-_Ert%C3%A9_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In 1925,
Louis B. Mayer
Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1882 or 1884 or 1885 – October 29, 1957) was a Canadian-American film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios (MGM) in 1924. Under Mayer's management, MGM became the film industr ...
brought him to Hollywood to design sets and costumes for the silent film ''
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
''. There were many script problems, so Erté was given other assignments to keep him busy. Hence, he designed for such films as ''
Ben-Hur'', ''
The Mystic'', ''Time'', ''The Comedian'', and ''
Dance Madness''. In 1920 he designed the set and costumes for the film ''
The Restless Sex'' starring
Marion Davies
Marion Davies (born Marion Cecilia Douras; January 3, 1897 – September 22, 1961) was an American actress, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. Educated in a religious convent, Davies fled the school to pursue a career as a chorus girl ...
and financed by
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst Sr. (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboya ...
.
By far, his best-known image is ''Symphony in Black'', depicting a somewhat stylized, tall, slender woman draped in black holding a thin black dog on a leash. The influential image has been reproduced and copied countless times.
Erté continued working throughout his life, designing revues, ballets, and operas. He had a major rejuvenation and much lauded interest in his career during the 1960s with the Art Deco revival. He branched out into the realm of limited edition prints, bronzes, and
wearable art
Wearable art, also known as Artwear or "art to wear", refers to art pieces in the shape of clothing or jewellery pieces. These pieces are usually handmade, and are produced only once or as a very limited series. Pieces of clothing are often made w ...
.
Two years before his death, Erté created seven limited edition bottle designs for
Courvoisier
Courvoisier () is a brand of cognac, with production based in the town of Jarnac in the Charente region of France. It is the youngest and smallest of the "big four" cognac houses (the others are Hennessy, Rémy Martin, and Martell).
Courvo ...
to show the different stages of the cognac-making process, from distillation to maturation.
["Our Heritage". () (accessed 16 September 2014)] In 2008, the eighth and final of the remaining Erte-designed Courvoisier bottles, containing Grande Champagne cognac dating back to 1892, was released and sold for $10,000 apiece.
File:Courvoisier, Erté, no 3 "Distillation".jpg
File:Courvoisier, Erté, no 4 "Vieillissement".jpg
File:Courvoisier, Erté, no 5 "Dégustation".jpg
File:Courvoisier, Erté, no 6 "L'Esprit du Cognac".jpg
File:Courvoisier, Erté, no 7 "La Part des Anges".jpg
His work may be found in the collections of several well-known museums, including the
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
, and the
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); as well, a sizable collection of work by Erté can be found at Museum 1999 in Tokyo.
File:Erté evening dress in beaded lamé, c.1922-24, exhibited in the Rijksmuseum.jpg, Erté evening dress in beaded lamé, exhibited in the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum () is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the St ...
File:IrawithErte.jpg, Erté teaches Ira Reines about the art of sculpting
Writings
* ''Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)'' by Erté;
Roland Barthes
Roland Gérard Barthes (; ; 12 November 1915 – 26 March 1980) was a French literary theorist, essayist, philosopher, critic, and semiotician. His work engaged in the analysis of a variety of sign systems, mainly derived from Western popular ...
. Parma : F. M. Ricci, 1970.
* ''Erté Fashions''. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1972.
* ''Things I Remember: An Autobiography'', Quadrangle / The New York Times Book Co., 1975, .
* ''Designs by Erté : fashion drawings and illustrations from "Harper's bazar"'' by Erté;
Stella Blum. New York : Dover Publications, 1976.
* ''Erté at ninety : the complete graphics'' by Erté; Marshall Lee; Jack Solomon. London :
Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd (established 1949), often shortened to W&N or Weidenfeld, is a British publisher of fiction and reference books. It has been a division of the French-owned Orion Publishing Group since 1991.
History
George Weidenfeld a ...
, 1982, .
* ''Erté : sculpture'' by Erté; Alastair Duncan; Pascale Millière; Lee Boltin; Studio f28. Paris : Albin Michel, 1986.
* ''Erté: My Life / My Art: An Autobiography''. New York: E P Dutton, 1989.
See also
* ''
Dudnikov v. Chalk & Vermilion Fine Arts, Inc.'': A U.S. court case over copyrights of Erté's works
References
External links
"Erte, a Master of Fashion, Stage and Art Deco Design, Is Dead at 97"(obituary), ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', 22 April 1990
*
Erté site(Russian)
Erte.com*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Erte
1892 births
1990 deaths
Fashion illustrators
French designers
French people of Russian descent
Pseudonymous artists
LGBT people from France
LGBT artists from France
Emigrants from the Russian Empire to France