Antique French Bronze of Winged Man and Butterfly

After a long and successful career as a graphic artist and fashion designer, Erté revived his talents as a sculptor to create bronzes in his signature style at 75 years old. “The Tango” features two tall and slender figures engaged in the titular dance. A blonde woman and dark haired man both are wearing red to embody the boldness of the dance. The duo has an oblong green marble base with mounted brass nameplate. About the Artist: Erté (1892-1990) was born Romain de Tirtoff in St. Petersburg, Russia to an admiral father amongst the social elite. He grew up surrounded by the elegant women of his mother’s social circle, fascinated by their fashion and exotic souvenirs of his father’s travels. He left Russia at 19 and head to Paris to begin his fashion career under the pseudonym Erté, a play on his initials. He designed costumed and designed fashions for renowned actresses and stage productions. In 1915, he began his 20 year partnership with Harper’s Bazaar which cemented his reputation as the Father of Art Deco. The 1940s and 1950s were comparatively obscure for Erté, and his career was revitalized through colorful lithographic prints and sculptures. This sculpture is one of hundreds of pieces of art that are available at our location in Grandview! Come in today and see the full collection.