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Erté Collection

(Romain de Tirtoff)

 

Throughout the page that follows, we have presented a selection of vintage images from the Russian-born painter

Romain de Tirtoff - known as Erté.

 

We have developed a range of Giftware that includes images reproduced from the 1st Edition plates in our collection

to ensure the most accurate form, line and colour possible. We have utilised a high definition capture and reproduction

technique for the images - in contrast to the low definition representation necessary for this website. The illustrations are

available as cards, infants' clothing, T-shirts and unmatted, matted or framed prints (8x6", 10x8", 12x10", 15x10" and

30 x 20" images sizes). Pricing starts at US$4 for single Gift Cards (US$18 for select packs of 6) and 10 x 8" prints

(double-matted and framed) begin at US$60. Further details on those reproduction images are available at the

Giftware section of this site.

 

Should you wish to discuss an order, please contact us at ThePeople@SpiritoftheAges.com referencing your request

with the Stock Code of the plate, or plates in question and a brief description (and rest assured, we do accept payment

through PayPal or Direct Bank Deposit).

 

In the meantime, enjoy browsing our selection of genuine vintage and antique plates.

 

 

The Artwork of Erté
 

Romain de Tirtoff (1893-1990) was a Russian-born artist who became closely associated with the Art Nouveau and

Art Deco aesthete through his painting, couture and theatrical work.

 

His artistic interest was apparent from an early age - his first successful costume design was penned when he was aged

just 5 - and were quite contrary to the wishes of his father (a Fleet Admiral in the Russian Navy) who expected his son

to follow the family's military tradition. Despite those wishes, in 1912, he moved from Russia to Paris to become a

fashion illustrator. Around the time of that relocation, he began to refer to himself as Erté (a construction that was

drawn from the French pronunciation of his initials).

 

Erté was closely associated with Harper's Bazaar - he contributed fashion drawings to the journal for 22 years after his

first contract soon after his arrival in Paris. It is arguable, however, that he is best remembered for the stunning designs

he contributed to the Folies-Bergère (Paris) and George White's Scandals (New York).

 

His popularity was revived throughout the 1950s and 1960s and he continued to be productive well into the final

decade of his life.

 

1916-1926

 

Sports cloak for Henry Bendel

New York, 1916

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 1

Vanilla Pods

Les Fleurs du Mal

Théâtre du Ba-ta-Clan

Paris, 1916

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 2

Costume for Mistinguett

Théâtre du Ba-ta-Clan

Paris, 1917

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 3

 

Source of the Amazon River

The Rivers

Folies Bergère, 1923

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 4

Source of the Rhine

The Rivers

Folies Bergère, 1923

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 5

Dress for Madame Bordoni

1925

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 6

 

Pierrot

1925

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 7

Corn

Vegetable Ballet

George White Scandals, 1926

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 8

Celery

Vegetable Ballet

George White Scandals, 1926

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 9

 

Onion

Vegetable Ballet

George White Scandals, 1926

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 10

Carrot

Vegetable Ballet

George White Scandals, 1926

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 11

Haystack

Lucky Doll

George White Scandals

New York, 1926

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 12

 

Horseshoe

Lucky Doll

George White Scandals

New York, 1926

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 13

The Annunciation

Illustration for The London News

1926

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 14

The Triunphant Courtesan

George White Scandals. 1926

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 15

 

 

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

Le Mystere Des Pierreries

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 1

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

La grappe d'or

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 2

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

Les enlacements de la fl'amme

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 3

 
 

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

L'océan

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 4

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

L'oiseau encbanté

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 5

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

La première parure de Vénus

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 6

 

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

Le bracelet

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 7

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

Le premier ebeveu blanc

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 8

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

La rose au pollen de diamants

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 9

 

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

Le choix d'un cæur

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 10

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

Astarté

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 11

Le Mystere Des Pierreries (1926)

 

Souvenirs

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E LMDP 12

 

 

 

1927-1938

 

Mannikin Head for Pierre Imans'

The Queen of Sheba

Folies Bergère

Paris, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 16

Stage Set

Princesses de Légende

Folies Bergère

Paris, 1927

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 17

Perfumes

Folies Bergère

Paris, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 18

 

The Queen of Sheba

Folies Bergère

Paris, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 19

Costume

Manhattan Mary

New York, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 20

Costume

Manhattan Mary

New York, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 21

 

Costume

Manhattan Mary

New York, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 22

Costume

Manhattan Mary

New York, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 23

Transformable costume (first effect)

Manhattan Mary

New York, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 24

 

Transformable costume (second effect)

Manhattan Mary

New York, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 25

Curtain

Manhattan Mary

New York, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 26

Curtain

Manhattan Mary

New York, 1927

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 27

 

Precious Stone

George White's Scandals, 1928

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 28

Dancer

Venus Moderne

George White's Scandals

New York, 1928

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 29

The Mysterious Woman

1929

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 30

 

The Thousand-Year Egg

Aladin

Folies Bergère

Paris, 1929

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 31

The Genie of the Lamp

Aladin

Folies Bergère

Paris, 1929

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 32

Paris openings

Harper's Bazaar cover

1931

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 33

 

Riviera

Harper's Bazaar cover

1932

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 34

Jade Bracelet

1932

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 35

A Merveilleuse

Au Temps des Merveilleuses

Théâtre du Châtelet

Paris, 1934

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 36

 

Summer fun

Harper's Bazaar cover

1935

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 37

Evening dress

Paris, 1937

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 38

Evening dress

Paris, 1937

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 39

 

Afternoon dress

Paris, 1937

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 40

Afternoon dress

Paris, 1937

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 41

Panther Costume

London Symphony

London, 1938

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E F 42

 

 

Alphabet (1927-1967)

 

The words of Erté - from his memoirs - provide a wonderful description of the history surrounding the development

of this exquisite set of images:

 

I began to compose my Alphabet in 1927, after the great success of my first exposition at the

Galerie Charpentier in Paris in 1926. With my habitual optimism, I thought I would finish it for

my next exposition at the Galerie Charpentier, which was already arranged for 1928-29.

 

I had not thought of all my other work, which I had to do at the same time. There was my

contract with Harper's Bazaar, which required me to send a cover drawing regularly each month

as well as a number of other drawing for fashion and decoration, in addition to occasional articles.

 

There was also my work for the theatre: in 1926 and 1928, two spectacular reviews, the George

White Scandals, and in 1927 a musical comedy, Manhattan Mary, also produced by George White

at the Majestic Theature in New York. In addition: numerous drawings for reviews at the Folies-Bergère

in Paris and many theatrical costumes for opera singers such as Lucrezia Bori (of the Metropolitan,

New York), Ganna Walska (Chicago Opera Company), Maria Kuznetsov (Paris Opera), etc. In short,

at the time of my second exposition at the Galerie Charpentier in 1929, my alphabet was barely begun.

I worked at it afterwards in every moment of relative calm. So its execution stretched out over a long

number of years.

 

When I wanted to show it at the Grosvenor Gallery in London, in 1967, I realized that one letter of the

alphabet had not yet been finished.

 

That letter was then finished in August, 1967, when I came back from Montreal, where I had designed the

sets and costumes for a big spectacle at the Expo '67. Although the execution of the alphabet was thus

broken up, the overall plan was already completely established in my head when I started to work on it.

 

"A"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 1

"B"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 2

"C"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 3

 

"D"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 4

"E"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 5

"f"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 6

 

"G"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 7

"H"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 8

"I"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 9

 

"J"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 10

 

"K"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 11

"L"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 12

 

"M"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 13

 

"N"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 14

"O"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 15

 

"P"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 16

 

"Q"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 17

"R"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 18

 

"S"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 19

 

"T"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 20

"U"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 21

 

"V"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 22

 

"W"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 23

"X"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 24

 

"Y"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 25

 

"Z"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E A 26

 

Numbers (1968)

 

Again, the words of Erté appearing in memoirs provide an insight into the development of this exquisite

set of images:

 

In the twenty-six compositions which make up my alphabet, I have closely linked my love

for the human body, exalted by the dance, with the graphic arabesques of the characters

of writing. I applied the same principle to the series of ten lithographs, which appeared

in 1968, depicting the numbers from 0 to 9.

 

"0"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 1

"1"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 2

"2"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 3

 

"3"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 4

"4"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 5

"5"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 6

 

"6"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 7

"7"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 8

"8"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 9

 

"9"

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E N 10

 

Seven Deadly Sins (1968)

 

     

Envy

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E SDS 1

Anger

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E SDS 2

Pride

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E SDS 3

 
   

Avarice

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E SDS 4

Sloth

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E SDS 5

Lust

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E SDS 6

 
 

Gluttony

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E SDS 7

 

The Zodiac

 

     

Capricorn

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 1

Aquarius

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 2

Pisces

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 3

 
   

Aries

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 4

Taurus

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 5

Gemini

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 6

 
     

Cancer

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 7

Leo

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 8

Virgo

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 9

 
     

Libra

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 10

Scorpio

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 11

Sagittarius

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E Z 12

 
 

Emerald Vase I

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E CNG 1

Emerald Vase II

 

 

Provenance: An American Collector

 

Code: E CNG 2