Erté
The master of Art Deco elegance whose sinuous, bejeweled designs defined the glamour of the Roaring Twenties and beyond.
1892–1990 (age 98)·Russian-born French artist and designer·Birthday: November 23·The Lost Generation
Biography
Born Romain de Tirtoff in St. Petersburg, he fled the Russian Revolution for Paris and reinvented himself as Erté, a name derived from the French pronunciation of his initials. From his first cover for Harper's Bazaar in 1915, he became the quintessential illustrator of Jazz Age sophistication. His women were impossibly slender, draped in exotic furs and cascading beads, their silhouettes elongated against geometric patterns. This signature style transcended magazine pages, flowing into extravagant costume and set designs for the Folies Bergère, Broadway, and Hollywood films like 'Mata Hari.' For over seven decades, Erté's work was a consistent testament to luxury and fantasy, making him one of the most recognizable and commercially successful artists of the decorative arts in the 20th century.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Erté was born in 1892, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Erté Was Born
The biggest hits of 1892
Erté's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1892Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1897Started school
President: William McKinley
1905Became a teenager
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could drive
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could vote
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Turned 21
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 30
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 40
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 50
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 60
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 70
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 80
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1990Died at 98
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
Key Achievements
- Designed over 200 covers for Harper's Bazaar magazine between 1915 and 1936.
- Created iconic costume and set designs for the Folies Bergère in Paris and Broadway revues.
- His work was central to the revival of interest in Art Deco during the 1960s and 1970s.
- Designed fashion, jewelry, and interior decor, making Art Deco accessible and desirable.
- Had a prolific career that spanned nearly 80 years, working into his late nineties.
Did You Know?
His father was an admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy who disapproved of his artistic career.
He claimed to have designed every single costume for the Broadway show 'St. Louis Woman' (1946), totaling over 250 pieces.
He began working with serigraphy (silkscreen printing) in his seventies, producing highly collectible graphic works.
A great deal of his original work was lost in a studio fire in 1975.
“I always knew I would be successful. I never had any doubts. I was born with that feeling.”
