Alphabet J 

Curator: Looking at Erte’s "Alphabet J," one is immediately struck by the stylization, it is so reminiscent of perfume ads from another era. The central female figure has the look of an illustration. What is your immediate take? Editor: My immediate reaction is how cleanly graphic it is. The simple line work against the stark black background. And of course it embodies everything classic about Art Deco: luxury, ornamentation and celebration of modernity and the female form. How does this fit into the larger narrative of Erte’s work? Curator: Erte, a Russian-born French artist and designer, became famous for his illustrations in *Harper’s Bazaar* and other magazines, which disseminated his art to a broad audience. This specific work plays a pivotal role when you consider his entire Alphabet series; how he used his artistic language of streamlined silhouettes and elegant contours in this visual language of letters is incredibly revealing. Editor: Absolutely. This alphabet piece becomes emblematic of his commitment to fusing art with commerce and popular culture. The almost architectural lines of the figure create a bold statement. The placement within that letter form certainly draws the eye toward themes of representation, femininity, and perhaps an argument for the commodification of the body. Curator: I can certainly see that reading, especially considering how women are perceived and portrayed through that period, the visual representation often clashed with their agency. One sees a visual of strength juxtaposed against constraint. There’s a subtle tension there. The fact that there are no set dates adds to the mystique, does it not? Editor: Indeed. Erte's legacy lives on, constantly reminding us of the fusion between commerce, identity and art as seen through that unique interwar lens.