Erte (1892-1990) Russian/French, "Un Snob" Original 1995 Gouache Painting on Paper. Depicts an impeccably dressed gentleman who appears quite proud of his attire. Signed in ink bottom right. Comes with an appraisal and a certificate of authenticity from Park West Gallery including the title, date, and medium, as well as indicating that Erte's stamp and the words "composition originale" are on the back of the paper beneath the frame cover. A unique piece from the hand of the artist made at the height of his career. 

Overall Size: 26 1/2 x 23 in. 

Sight Size: 12 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. 

Romain de Tirtoff, known by the pseudonym Erté (from the French pronunciation of his initials), was born Roman Petrovich Tyrtov on November 23rd, 1892 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. His father served as an admiral in the Russian fleet, and his mother was Ukrainian. An early passion for theater and dance morphed into a life-long obsession with painting and design. In his early teens he traveled to Paris to study sculpture, becoming enamored with Art Nouveau and eventually relocating to the city permanently in 1912, living with Prince Nicolas Oroussoff. Between 1915 and 1937 he shifted to using his mononym and designed over 200 covers for Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Vogue magazines. His elegant fashion designs also shifted into a focus on Art Deco, capturing the imaginations of impresarios Louis B. Mayer and Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. His place in the evolution of 20th Century art, in everything from fashion to graphic arts to set design for film, theater, and interior decor, is unrivaled and indisputable. In the decade before his death he branched out into the realm of  prints, bronzes, and wearable art, including seven limited edition bottle designs for Courvoisier showing the different stages of cognac-making. He passed away April 21st, 1990.