Romain de Tirtoff was born on November 23, 1892 in Saint Petersburg, Russia to an aristocratic family. He was a pioneering Russian-born French artist and designer known as the “Father of Art Deco”. His designs included dresses and accessories for women; costumes and opulent sets for opera, ballet, and dramatic productions; and posters and prints. Moved to Paris, France, in 1912 against his family’s wishes to pursue art. Adopted the pseudonym Erté, which is the French pronunciation of his initials R.T. (Romain de Tirtoff).
He joins the ranks of the elite who are known worldwide by their first names, such as Cher, Madonna, Twiggy, Elvis, Bono, Adele, etc. Erté designed over 240 covers and thousands of illustrations with Harper’s Bazaar over 22 years starting in 1915. (A collection of Harper’s Bazaar illustrations was published in Designs by Erté [1976] with text by Stella Blum.) He also crafted extravagant costumes and stage sets for the Folies Bergère in Paris, Ziegfeld Follies in New York, and Hollywood films. This is the stage of his career that entrances me the most. His costumes were exceptionally brilliant and unique. He worked in many fields, including jewelry, sculpture, and interior decor. He worked for nearly eight decades and died in Paris, France in 1990 at 97 years of age of kidney failure.
He wrote his autobiography, Things I Remember in 1975. Erté’s legacy serves as a reminder of the intersection between art and society, illustrating how a singular artistic voice can resonate across generations and shape cultural narratives. The name remains a symbol of elegance and aesthetic excellence, firmly rooted in the annals of art history.
The only thing I have seen that comes close to the theatricality of Erte is in some of the wearable float costumes of Toronto’s Caribana festival. If you have the opportunity, you should try to get to spend the week-end at the Parade, a tad pricey for a hotel room during that time but the amount of colour, tinsel, sparkles, feathers, skin, and dancing is incredible. A cornucopia of visual delight or a photographer’s idea of heaven!
REFLECTIONS OF A SWAMPER 