Erté Enter a
feeling, not
a gallery.
Choose a mood and the room itself answers — the light cools or warms, the air changes pace, and only the works that carry that feeling step forward from the dark. Everything else recedes into shadow.
Erté
Early Life and Artistic Awakening Romain de Tirtoff, known to the world as Erté, was born into a life of privilege and tradition in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on November 23, 1892. His lineage traced back centuries to Tatar khans, and his father served with distinction as an admiral in the Imperial Russian Fleet. Yet, young Romain’s destiny lay not on the waves but within the realm of art—a passion that blossomed early, nurtured by a m
other he deeply adored and the exotic beauty of Persian miniatures found within his father's library. These intricate designs would become a subtle yet enduring influence on his later work, imbuing it with a sense of opulent detail and stylized elegance. Even as a child, Romain demonstrated an extraordinary talent for design; legend has it that at just five years old, he sketched an evening gown for his mother, which was then brought t…
