By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
1892-1990 Russian-French
L'Aurore boréale(The Aurora Borealis)
Signed "Erté" (lower right)
Inscribed ---- (en verso)
Gouache on paper
In this colorful gouache, Erté draws an enticing and unique fashion design on his model's elegantly elongated figure. Crowned by an elaborate headdress, the woman wears a daring gauzy caftan that drapes dangerously low, celebrating her nude form. EntitledL'Aurore Boréale" or The Aurora Borealis, this work embodies the Art Deco glamour for which the artist's designs are so beloved. This ensemble was inspired by Les Fleurs du mal, the famed volume of poems from iconic French writer Charles Baudelaire. As the name suggests, this creative design links the celebrated "fleur" orchids with one of nature's other great marvels, the Aurora Borealis. This refined piece of art radiates the essential luxury and theatricality that could only be accomplished by Erté, oft referred to as the "Father of Art Deco."
First published in 1857, Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal was controversial for its suggestive content and themes of decadence and eroticism. The volume provided a wealth of inspiration for Erté and he drew from several themes to create original fashion sketches...
Category
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors