1892-1990
Born Romain de Tirtoff (1892–1990) in St. Petersburg, Russia, to an aristocratic family, the artist known as Erté — a pseudonym derived from the French pronunciation of his initials — was a Renaissance man of the art and design world. He worked in graphic arts, interior design, fashion, jewelry and set design for the stage and silver screen, becoming a leader of the Art Deco style.
Moving to Paris in 1912, Erté worked as a fashion designer under couturier Paul Poiret before securing a job with Harper’s Bazaar as a cover artist. Over 22 years, Erté created more than 240 magazine covers alongside his ongoing work in fashion design.
Extending his prolific career into theater sets, costumes, prints and lithographs, Erté became one of the most famous artists of the era. His style — a combination of the nature-inspired flourishes of Art Nouveau and bold, geometric linework — directly contributed to the birth of Art Deco, earning him the nickname “the Father of Art Deco.”
After a lull of creative production in the 1940s and 1950s, Erté reentered the public eye in the 1960s, when a renewed interest in Art Deco had taken shape.
Creating colorful lithographs, bold serigraphs (silk-screen prints) and bronze sculptures, he contributed to a resurgence of the style in France and beyond. This late-life acclaim for his art led to exhibitions in museums and galleries all over the world as well as his first published monograph in 1970. That same year he was awarded the title of Chevalier du Mérite Artistique et Cultural and in 1976 was named Officier des Arts et Lettres by the French government.
Today, Erté’s works are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and LACMA in Los Angeles.
On 1stDibs, browse a collection of Erté art, including fine art prints, paintings and other works.
La Fanfarlo 5 - Female Women
By Leonor Fini
Located in London, GB
This work is hand signed in pencil by the artist "Leonor Fini" in the lower left corner. It was part of the portfolio 'La Fanfarlo' that included 13 lithographs by Fini. It was prin...
Lithograph
Fantasy
By Bela Kadar
Located in London, GB
BELA KADAR 1877-1956 Budapest 1877-1956 (Hungarian) Title: Fantasy, circa 1940 Technique: Original Hand Signed Gouache on paper size: 46.2 x 29.4 cm / 18.2 x 11.6 in Additional Information: This work is a guache painting by the famous Hungarian artist Bela Kadar. It is hand signed in pencil "Kadar Bela" in the lower right corner of the paper. Exhibitions: New York, Shepherd & Derom Galleries, Hungarian Modernism, 29 April-2 July 2010, no.12. Tel Aviv, Galerie le Minotaure...
Gouache
La Fanfarlo 6 - Female Women
By Leonor Fini
Located in London, GB
This work is hand signed in pencil by the artist "Leonor Fini" in the lower right corner. It was part of the portfolio 'La Fanfarlo' that included 13 lithographs by Fini. It was pri...
Lithograph
Theater Interior Design
By Serge Ferat (Sergei Nicolaevitch Comte de Jastrebtsov)
Located in London, GB
SERGE FERAT 1881-1958 (Le Comte Sergueï Yastrebzov) Moscow 1881-1958 Paris (Russian/French) Title: Theater Interior Design Technique: Original Signed Gouache Painting on paper siz...
Gouache
Salomé, from: Metropolitan Opera Fine Arts II - Mexican Art Surrealism
By Rufino Tamayo
Located in London, GB
This original lithograph is hand signed in white crayon by the artist "R.Tamayo" at the lower right image. It is also hand numbered in white crayon from the edition of 250, at the lo...
Lithograph
The Dancer - Italian Futurism Dancer
By Gino Severini
Located in London, GB
This tempera is hand signed by the artist "G. Severini" in the lower right image. It is dedicated in pencil ‘al caro vecchio amico Raffaele Carrieri, affectuoso riccordi di Gino Sev...
Paper, Tempera
Troisemmè Dame, 1919
By Erté
Located in Greenwich, CT
Troisemmè Dame from 1919 is a gouache painting on paper, 12 x 9.5 inches, framed in a custom, closed-corner, Art Deco frame to 20.25 x 18 inches. Signed recto 'Erté' mid lower right ...
Paper, Gouache
Untitled Fashion Design, 1920
By Erté
Located in Greenwich, CT
Untitled (Fashion Design) was created for Harper's Bazar and appeared in the February, 1920 edition of the magazine. This is a gouache painting on tissue paper measuring approximately 10 x 6.5 inches and framed in a custom, closed-corner Art Deco...
Paper, Gouache
Art Deco Embossed Serigraph Print by Erte, 1991, Boudoir
By Erté
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Erté Title: Boudoir Medium: Embossed serigraph Year: 1991 Edition: 290/300 Sheet Size: 41 3/4" x 29 1/4" Image Size: 35 1/4" x 23 1/4" Signature: Stamped signature
Screen
Diva I Embossed Serigraph with Foil Stamping, Signed, 21/300, 53x43 in
By Erté
Located in Aventura, FL
Diva I, from Diva Suite. Embossed serigraph with foil stamping on paper. Hand signed lower right by Erte. Hand numbered 21/300 lower left. Sheet size: 3...
Foil
Sylvia
By Erté
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist: (Romain De Tirtoff) Erte (Russian, 1892-1990) Title: Sylvia Year: Circa 1935 Medium: Gouache on paper Paper size: 14.5 x 10.5 inches Signature: Signed lower rig...
Gouache
Ermine Brocade, 1987
By Erté
Located in Greenwich, CT
Ermine Brocade is an expertly crafted, embossed serigraph on black paper with foil stamping and an image size of 27 x 25 inches. From the edition of 580, the art is numbered 24/300 a...
Paper, Screen
