Erté Decorative Art
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.
1980s French Art Deco Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Silk
20th Century Art Deco Erté Decorative Art
Acrylic, Paper
20th Century Art Deco Erté Decorative Art
Acrylic, Paper
1980s American Art Deco Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Enamel
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Erté Decorative Art
Brass
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Erté Decorative Art
Brass
Late 20th Century French Art Deco Erté Decorative Art
Chrome
Late 20th Century Art Deco Erté Decorative Art
1970s French Art Deco Vintage Erté Decorative Art
1960s English Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Paper
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Erté Decorative Art
Twig
1960s British Modern Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Paper
1970s French Art Deco Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Silk
1970s French Art Deco Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Silk
1970s French Art Deco Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Silk
1970s American Brutalist Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Wood, Paper
20th Century American Modern Erté Decorative Art
Paint
20th Century French Erté Decorative Art
Silk, Giltwood
20th Century French International Style Erté Decorative Art
Paper
20th Century French Erté Decorative Art
Silk, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Erté Decorative Art
Paper
1970s French Art Deco Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Paper
1980s Art Deco Vintage Erté Decorative Art
Glass, Wood