Vintage poster "Tanagra Blue" by Erté. Print. France, 1990s.

Erté (1892–1990), also known as Roman Tyrtov, has earned the unofficial title of "the father of Art Deco." Leaving Russia for France in 1912, he brought glamour and sophistication to fashion, theater, film, and design. Moving to Paris, he worked with couturier Paul Poiret before launching a distinguished career as an illustrator, designer, and artist. His iconic Harper's Bazaar covers defined Art Deco elegance, while his theatrical costumes and Hollywood sets elevated contemporary spectacle to new heights. Rediscovered in the 1960s, Erté was featured in an exhibition of gouaches acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1967, cementing his place in the artistic canon. Since the 1970s, he has expanded his practice to create limited edition silkscreens and bronze sculptures – innovative works often incorporating embossing, metallic foil and dramatic backgrounds.