Original Erte

Surely you’ll find the exact original erte you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. There are many Art Deco and Contemporary versions of these works for sale. If you’re looking for an original erte from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 20th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 20th Century. On 1stDibs, the right original erte is waiting for you and the choices span a range of colors that includes gold, beige, gray and brown. Creating an original erte has been a part of the legacy of many artists, but those crafted by Erté are consistently popular. Artworks like these of any era or style can make for thoughtful decor in any space, but a selection from our variety of those made in bronze, metal and screen print can add an especially memorable touch.

The price for an original erte in our collection starts at $749 and tops out at $25,600 with the average selling for $3,495.

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.