Abstract
Roman de Tirtoff, known by the pseudonym Erté, was a special man and someone who history will never forget. His work is known all around the world and has affected the lives of many people including his supporting, loving family. Erté was one of the most well-known designers of the 1920s because of his extraordinary design work. His incredible work set him apart from other artists because he understood form and precision. He created many things with his unique brush style and was very delicate with his work. He went down as one of the most well-known designers because of his bizarre design work which set him apart from many other artists. He never gave up when he failed, or people didn’t want him until he got offered to work for Harper’s Bazar which boosted his career and made him recognizable and a well-known artist. When his style fell out of fashion, he met Eric and Salome Estroick, who were founders of the Seven Arts of the Grosvenor Galleries, in London and New York, who got Erté to uncover thousands of preserved drawings in his cellar to celebrate how amazing he is. “Many will overlook artists, Romain de Tirtoff was not only an artist for the chronicles of history but a man of such distinct quality and character that will never be repeated” (“Rare 14k,” n.d.).
Artistic Story of Erté
Erté was born in Russia in 1892. As he was a child of aristocratic parents, he was supported in his love of arts, and his artistic talents were cherished, mainly by his mother for whom he produced his first design at the age of 6. His passion was between dance and design, but he knew he could never give up painting and design. He was later hired by Harper’s Bazaar to create their monthly magazine cover, producing over 200 designs. He then began producing stage sets and costume designs for the theater, opera, and ballet, which many are still used today. Erté “helped to establish the principles of contemporary design, fashion, publishing, and theatre throughout Paris, New York City, and Hollywood” (Chesters, 2017).
“Erté, who’s name derived from the French pronunciation of the initials of his real name, Romain de Tirtoff” (Riding, 1990) was the man of his time and many would say lived the lives of many. In 1892 Erté was born in Russia on November 32. He was not only supported by his loving parents but everyone around him. Erté’s father originated from Tartar Khan named Tirt and was classified as an admiral in the Imperial Naval School and his mother was an aristocrat of Cossack descent because one of her brothers was military governor of St. Petersburg. Many loved his love of the arts and his creative talents that he had especially his mother who he created his first design at the age of six. In his earlier career he loved dance and design but realized how he couldn’t live without painting and creating designs. His idea of beauty was pale skin and dark eyes just like his mother. Figure 1 below displays a depiction of what he considered beautiful.
Figure 1. “Erté, Father of Art Deco” Taken from: Elliott, Hannah. “Erte Originals: Remembering The Father Of Art Deco.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 30 July 2012, www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2011/11/16/erte-originals-remembering-the-father-of-art-deco/#5027af614e73.
He was designing clothes at the age of five assisted by their family’s dressmaker who was always by his side. While his father was on naval maneuvers their dressmaker took him all over Europe to see different artists. Before the War, the Russian capital was graceful and full of activity of theater, the arts, music, and fashion. His mother would also take him on adventurous shopping trips to see artists crafts. He remembered how much he hated uniformed school and couldn’t wait to paint and design again. Though, Erte was raised by the social elite of Russia, he ended up moving to Paris to pursue his career and it ended up becoming his home. He wanted to work under the name Erte to separate his family from his decisions, so he could become an artist. The 1910s were a period of change for fashion and Erte knew that moving to Paris would help his career.
Arriving in Paris at a young age, Paris was bewitched by all things Russian. Being in Paris Erte saw a ballet-dancer Nijinsky’s infamous composition and he became astonished by it. 1914, Romain designed costumes for a scene in Paris’s music hall at the age of 22. Figure 2 exhibits the work he produced for the music halls.
Figure 2. “Erté, Father of Art Deco,” an original art piece created for the Radio City Music Halls. Taken from: Remembering The Father Of Art Deco.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 30 July 2012, www.forbes.com/sites/hannahelliott/2011/11/16/erte-originals-remembering-the-father-of-art-deco/#5027af614e73.
In 1912, for having no talent for design, he was dismissed from a job that he landed as a draftsman in a fashion house (“Erté Facts,” 1999). After being let go from a job, he went to Paul Poiret with his sketches and locked a contract with him. Fashion designer Paul Poiret was the most fashionable dress designer of pre-WWI. He had a style of Neoclassical and orientalist styles. Paul was one of the first artists to recognize the natural talent that Erte had. He was actually accountable for the name “Erté,” and was first used professionally in May of 1913 in Gazette du Bon Ton. Paul transformed women’s clothes, he deserted the corset and fitted bodice for the thing we call today a “bra”. He was also the first to create his own perfume, to draw on models, and to use artists to create his fabric. Erte had many things to learn from this experienced artist who had his life together. But, later on they separated with a hostile lawsuit. At the start of World War I Paul had to close down his business and Erte lived in Monte Carlo. A cousin of Erte’s came to live with him and became his business manager. Nicholas who is Erte’s manager advised a connection with Harper’s Bazar in New York. From 1915-1937 he was hired by Harper’s Bazaar to create a monthly cover creating over 200 designs for the magazine. His illustrations portrayed models in elaborate possess covered in jewels, fathers, and soft materials against a background that created an art deco style. Erté had a free hand when planning his work for the company until about 1920 when his only requirement was to convey four of the covers for seasonal collection. The four he needed to cover were spring, fall, and winter, and two others that were dedicated to furs and cosmetics (Erté, and Stella Blum, 1976). Figure 3 portrays Erté’s exotic piece for the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 1920.
Figure 3. “Erte’s cover for the November 1920 issue of Harper’s BAZAAR.” Taken from: Harper. “The Jazz Age: BAZAAR In the 1920s.” Harper’s BAZAAR, Harper’s BAZAAR, 5 Oct. 2017, www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a19768/1920s-bazaar-excerpts/.
William Randolph Hearst owned the magazine empire and lost it in 1937. Erté’s fate was linked with that of Hearst until a new editor came in and changed fashion drawing to photography. Erte still has a reputation for the world’s leading fashion illustrator of his time. “He afterwards said: “Every human being has a duty to make himself as attractive as possible. Not many of us are born beautiful; … Clothes are a kind of alchemy” (“Erté Facts,” 1999).
Erte’s next step was to seek out the French and American Music halls. At this time the Jazz age, French revue, and the Broadway shows were at their peak. Erte’s goal was to design for the stages. He designed costumes for the Dutch dancer Mata Hari and Madame Rasimi invited him to design costumes and the stage for her revue. This was his chance to showcase his imagination. Figure 4 presents Erté’s costume design for the Dutch exotic dancer Mata Hari.
Figure 4. “Mata Hari Costume by Erté | Historical 1900s Paris Postcard.” Taken from: “Mata Hari in Costume by Erté | Historical 1900’s Paris Postcard | WWI Espionage | Courtesan | Dutch Exotic Dancer | Spy | Hand-Tinted |.” Etsy, www.etsy.com/listing/634097912/mata-hari-in-costume-by-erte-o?gpla=1&gao=1&& utm_source=google&utm _medium=cpc&utm_ campaign=shopping_us_a-art_and_collectibles-collectibles-memorabilia-souvenirs_and_eve nts&utm_custom1=3729ec1f-7014-4dd0-8f6d-f5b4c7ecbb2c& utm_content= go_ 304 49943 5_48303296128_196679360286_aud-537409439012:pla-31673045 0793_c__634097912& gclid=CjwKCAiA0O7fBRASEiwAYI9QAl9iIlr_FLewHyjb-UjkM7Zs-83smahjCLI4qKXT4FG-Pfq6I7IH7hoCWy8QAvD_BwE.
Erté also designed a series of gowns with long trains. During 1919 to 1930 he worked with workshops of Mx Weldy that were exported stage sets and costumes to theaters all around the world. He learned what he didn’t already know about theatrical dress making and stage settings. His work for this was one of his finest works he has ever done. His style was beyond perfect for Broadway, he designed costumes for many popular shows. Erte’s advances were immeasurable. In the 1920s Erté has a career in Hollywood because of Hearst, though his style didn’t fit well in the film capital. Erté returned home to Europe after breaking his contract and became involved with theaters in Paris where his designs acquired by opera, ballet, drama, and music halls.
Erté is famous because of his style of art deco. Art deco has displayed across the field of the visual arts: from architecture, painting, and sculpture to the graphic and decorative arts. Although, Art deco is originally from Paris it has persuaded architecture and culture in many areas. Are Deco is usually symmetrical, geometric, streamlined, and simple kind of design. Erté’s style included sophistication and glamour but also streamlined, geometric, and boldly colored. Art Deco fell out of support in the 1940s and so did Ertes illustrations. What set him apart from other artists is that he understood form and precision of his work. Much of what we know today as Art Deco was created by Erte, his style set a tone for the modern era. He uses different sources like; Russian iconography, Byzantine mosaics, Indian, Egyptian art, and Greek pottery. He presented the image of a stylized body covered in beads and furs. Figure 5 demonstrates his idea of representing a stylized woman covered in beads.
Figure 5. “Erte, “Queen of the Night.” Taken from: “Erte: How Romain De Tirtoff Shaped Art Deco Design and Style.” In Good Taste by Invaluable, 11 Sept. 2018, www.Invaluable.Com/ blog/erte-art-deco/.
Erté announced a sense of theatricality into Art Deco, making wraps with Chinese sleeves and gold embroidery with long gowns covered in crystal and pearls. He also experienced his work and ideas into a jewelry-maker (“How Erte Shaped,” 2018). This reflected principles and aesthetics that illustrated Erté’s fashion. Erté experienced many setbacks throughout his career but never gave up on his art and illustrations. He knew he could make a difference with is illustrations and ideas. He wanted people to feel how he felt when we created his designs. Erte never stopped and gave up on his career, he focused on his work and his only and that is why he is one of the greatest artists.
In 1965, he was 73 and had met Eric and Salome Estroick, who were founders of the Seven Arts of the Grosvenor Galleries, in London and New York. They were able to get Erté to uncover thousands of conserved drawings in his cellar. In the late 1960s they caused a revival of Art Deco. Erte established in sheet metal sculpture with oil pigments which he called Formes Pictorales. He also created lithographs and serigraphs for the Estroicks (“Erté Facts,” 1999). Figure 6 shows Erte’s bevel-matted lithograph in Art Deco that was issued in 1982
Figure 6. “Erte Matted Print 1982 – Seasons Winter Fashion – Nude Lady Under Crescent Moon Snowflakes Stars Snow – Art Deco.” Taken from: “Erte Matted Print 1982 – SEASONS WINTER Fashion – Nude Lady Under Cresent Moon SNOWFLAKES Stars Snow – Art Deco Illustration Ready to Frame.” Etsy, www.etsy.com/au/listing/254968167/erte-matted-print-1982-seasons-winter?ref=pr_faveitems.
Erte became sick and was flown back home to Paris where he passed away on April 21, 1990. His distinct quality and character is likely to be never repeated. He was not only an artist but a man for history.