Though he began life in Russia as Romain de Tirtoff in 1892, Erté was to end it in Paris nearly a century later known simply by the French pronunciation of his initials, as an artist whose highly successful and influential career had spanned fashion, theatre, opera, movies, magazines, jewelry, and sculpture.

Erté is arguably most famous for his fashion designs from the Art Deco period and, later, works inspired by them. His graceful and sophisticated illustrations are instantly recognizable. He provided many designs for fashion publications, such as Vogue and, most notably, Harper’s Bazaar, for which he also produced over 200 stunning and iconic covers. The theatre was a natural home too for Erté – his glamorous and imaginative costumes and set designs featured in the Ziegfeld Follies, the Folies Bergère, and George White’s “Scandals” revues, as well as films such as The Restless Sex. A man of tireless energy, Erté worked nonstop throughout his life, and in the 1960s enjoyed a peak in interest in his work, due to the Art Deco revival. He took this opportunity to make his work available to a greater audience by developing innovative lithograph and screen printing techniques and releasing series of limited edition art prints, along with sculpture and “art to wear” jewelry.

This sumptuous book begins with a foreword by friend and associate Ray Perman, before going on to discuss the inspirations, life, work, and techniques of this man who accomplished so much. Accompanying the text is a selection of some of his most beautiful pieces, from pen, ink, or gouache designs of delicate ladies in the latest fashions from the 1910s and 1920s to the bold and colorful Harper’s covers, with a focus on the particularly impressive later “serigraph” prints often inspired by earlier designs. Whether it’s to admire his famous and elegant Symphony in Black, the dreamlike world of The Pursuit of Flore, or the ingenuity of his Alphabet series, you are sure to return to this book again and again.