Georgie (Costume Design for American Millionairesses), 1917

"Georgie (Costume Design for American Millionairesses)" is an original gouache on paper board created by Erté in 1917. The artwork is signed 'Erté' lower right. The Erté and "Composition originale" stamps are also included verso. The artwork ships framed in a custom closed-corner Art Deco frame and has a framed size of 13.875 x 17". This gouache and costume design later inspired the serigraph "Florida (Pearl Dress)."

Romain de Tirtoff, known universally as Erté, holds a singular position in the history of twentieth century art and design. A defining force of the Art Deco era, he shaped the visual language of fashion, theater, and luxury publishing between the wars. His work is distinguished by flowing line, jewel like color, and refined ornament, qualities that made his illustrations and costume designs instantly recognizable.

Created in 1917, “Georgie (Costume Design for American Millionairesses)” is an exceptional example of Erté’s early theatrical work. Executed in gouache on paper, the composition presents a statuesque woman poised against a rich black ground. She wears a shimmering gold evening gown adorned with cascading strands of pearls that arc across her shoulders and bodice. A radiant headpiece crowns her sleek coiffure, reinforcing her aura of opulence and confidence. To her left, a rectangular field of gold stars references the American flag, subtly identifying the character and reinforcing the theme of wealth and national identity.

The design was created for ‘American Millionairesses,’ staged at the Théâtre Femina in Paris, a venue known for refined operettas and fashionable revues. The production explored themes of social ambition and American glamour, and contemporary accounts praised its sumptuous staging and elegant costumes. Erté’s design captures both the satirical edge of the subject and the aspirational sheen associated with modern American style as seen through a Parisian lens.

By 1917, Erté had already begun to redefine theatrical aesthetics. Having worked with Paul Poiret and developed his own distinctive vocabulary, he blended the sinuous elegance of Art Nouveau with emerging geometric clarity. In “Georgie,” he transforms a stage costume into a complete statement of identity and mood. The poised stance, stark black and gold palette, and graphic star motif anticipate the visual language he would later refine in his celebrated magazine covers and revue designs.

Original gouache costume designs from this early period are increasingly rare, particularly those tied to specific Parisian productions. “Georgie” stands as both a historical document and an autonomous work of art, embodying Erté’s ability to elevate fashion into modern myth and to define an era through elegance and theatrical imagination.