KOHN - An extravagant palace, setting of Erte's fanciful world
Les 6 et 13 novembre 2019
On Wednesdays 6 and 13 November, auction house Marc-Arthur Kohn will disperse the interior of a castle located near Paris whose decor was designed in the 1950-60s by Roman de TIRTOFF (1892-1990), also known as Erté. Celebrated for his fashion sketches, costume designs, magazine issues and theater, music-hall and opera sets. He also put his creativity at the service of personalities and interiors like this very one.
Born in Saint Petersburg in an aristocrat family, Erté grew up during the last years of tsarist Russia. In 1912, aged 15, during the golden age of Russian ballets, he moved to Paris to study drawing. He chose the pseudonym of Erté as a reference to the French pronunciation of his initials (R.T.).
As soon as 1915, he signs his first contract as a designer for Harper’s Bazaar magazine. This collaboration with the magazine, a major fashion influencer of the early century, lasts over twenty years.
At the same time, during the 20s, he began creating costumes and sets for theaters, magazines, ballets and operas. He created exotic costumes and jewelry for American actors and moved on to extravagant sets for the greatest New-York music-halls before working in Hollywood.
He came back to France in 1930 after important issues generated by 1929 crisis and pursued his career in the theater industry, the Folies Bergère being one of his clients.
As a multidisciplinary artist, he dedicated himself to sculpture and painting from the 60s. He handled aluminum, iron, copper and wood to shape fantastic and abstract artworks.
The last two decades of his life were led by exhibitions and publications on his life. His work, influenced by the Art Deco movement, reflects the aesthetic of the years 1910-1930 and influenced the XXth century’s style and design.
Marc-Arthur Kohn’s auction brings to light the talent of the artist for design. “Cave” furniture, inspired by shells and submarine vegetation, furniture made out of horn and antlers celebrating nature and hunting rituals, furniture and decorative elements entirely recovered with shells, leather upholstered cupboards. This house illustrates the connexion between an extravagant collector and an artist fitted with a fanciful and eccentric spirit. Estimates range from €2,000 and €50,000.
“Work would be funnier if clients were less wimpy” Erté
Public auction - Drouot
Wednesdays 6 et 13 november
Public exhibition - Drouot
Monday 4 and tuesday 5 november
Tuesday 12 november
Born in Saint Petersburg in an aristocrat family, Erté grew up during the last years of tsarist Russia. In 1912, aged 15, during the golden age of Russian ballets, he moved to Paris to study drawing. He chose the pseudonym of Erté as a reference to the French pronunciation of his initials (R.T.).
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| In this wide lounge decorated by Erté, he created a pair of leathered cupboards enhanced horns and antlers (estimate: €30,000-50,000), as well as the daybed made of bovid horn and upholstered with wolf-skin (estimate: €8,000-12,000). The outstanding limestone chimney dated 1534, measuring 4,2 meter high and 3,5m long, is estimated between €200,000 and 300,000. |
As soon as 1915, he signs his first contract as a designer for Harper’s Bazaar magazine. This collaboration with the magazine, a major fashion influencer of the early century, lasts over twenty years.
At the same time, during the 20s, he began creating costumes and sets for theaters, magazines, ballets and operas. He created exotic costumes and jewelry for American actors and moved on to extravagant sets for the greatest New-York music-halls before working in Hollywood.
He came back to France in 1930 after important issues generated by 1929 crisis and pursued his career in the theater industry, the Folies Bergère being one of his clients.
As a multidisciplinary artist, he dedicated himself to sculpture and painting from the 60s. He handled aluminum, iron, copper and wood to shape fantastic and abstract artworks.
 |
| « A client’s request to set up a fountain in her castle gave me the opportunity to design a whole room on the aquatic theme. I decided then that shells would be the best choice to express my interest in this project and my affection for the sea, shellfishes and other kinds of seafood. » |
The last two decades of his life were led by exhibitions and publications on his life. His work, influenced by the Art Deco movement, reflects the aesthetic of the years 1910-1930 and influenced the XXth century’s style and design.
Marc-Arthur Kohn’s auction brings to light the talent of the artist for design. “Cave” furniture, inspired by shells and submarine vegetation, furniture made out of horn and antlers celebrating nature and hunting rituals, furniture and decorative elements entirely recovered with shells, leather upholstered cupboards. This house illustrates the connexion between an extravagant collector and an artist fitted with a fanciful and eccentric spirit. Estimates range from €2,000 and €50,000.
“Work would be funnier if clients were less wimpy” Erté
Public auction - Drouot
Wednesdays 6 et 13 november
Public exhibition - Drouot
Monday 4 and tuesday 5 november
Tuesday 12 november
