Collection: Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)

Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) (1892–1990) was a Russian-born French artist, designer, and illustrator best known as one of the defining figures of the Art Deco movement. Born in St. Petersburg into an aristocratic family, he moved to Paris in 1912, where he adopted the pseudonym “Erté,” derived from the French pronunciation of his initials, R.T. Erté became famous for his elegant, elongated figures and highly stylized designs that captured the glamour and theatricality of early 20th-century fashion and stage production. He worked extensively with Harper’s Bazaar, creating hundreds of influential cover illustrations and fashion plates that helped shape modern fashion illustration. His work also extended to costume and set design for opera, ballet, film, and Broadway productions, where his imaginative, luxurious aesthetic became widely celebrated. Although his greatest fame began in the 1920s and 1930s, Erté experienced a major revival in the late 20th century. In the 1970s and 1980s, he produced a celebrated series of limited-edition serigraphs, sculptures, and bronzes—many of which involved complex printing techniques and multiple color layers to achieve rich depth and luminosity. These later works cemented his legacy as a master of decorative art and one of the most enduring symbols of Art Deco elegance.