Oriental costume, Folies-Bergere 

Erte created this work, "Oriental costume, Folies-Bergere" as a study in contrasts and harmonies, predominantly using pen and ink, gouache, and metallic paint on paper. The figure is framed by elaborate geometric corners, and the white space throws into sharp relief the central figure whose costume, rendered in shades of green and gold, intersects with itself. It is an uncanny Mobius strip, looping around her body, defying conventional notions of depth and perspective. Erte's manipulation of line and shape flattens the image, embracing a two-dimensionality, and the subject seems weightless. In its embrace of artifice and decoration, this piece encapsulates the Art Deco aesthetic. Erte's choice of gouache allows for flat, opaque colors that contribute to the image's graphic quality. This functions not just aesthetically but also as part of a larger cultural and philosophical discourse.