Les poissons by Erté

Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 1892-1990 | Russian-French Les poissons (The Fish) Signed “Erté”(lower right) Inscribed "No. 33.1" (en verso) Gouache on paper This exquisite gouache on paper presents a cabaret costume named Les poissons (The Fish), epitomizing Erte's whimsical and surreal Art Deco aesthetic. Designed for a performance at the famed Bal Tabarin, the model's bare human torso seamlessly transitions and transforms into a shimmering fishtail. The costume's arms take the form of two prominent silver and orange fish. Completing the ensemble is a charming shell-inspired hat, adding a final touch of aquatic allure. Paris in the Art Deco era stood at the crossroads of tradition and modernity, establishing itself as a global epicenter of art, literature and intellectual thought. Amidst the echoes of World War I, avant-garde movements like Surrealism and Cubism intermingled with jazz melodies wafting through the city’s smoky salons. As cocktails flowed, intellectuals, writers and arti