Oriental Tale 

Curator: Let’s discuss this intriguing mixed-media artwork called "Oriental Tale," attributed to Erté. Editor: Immediately, the drama jumps out—the contrast between the saturated colors and the dark background evokes a feeling of theatrical mystery. Curator: Indeed. Erté’s characteristic Art Deco stylization is evident, but the painting is steeped in symbolism. Notice the female figure centrally located, adorned in what appears to be a fantastical costume, her elaborate headwear accentuating her refined features. Editor: I am interested in this "hand of the artist" motif. Is she being created, manipulated, liberated—painted in or painted out? Its symbolism cannot be denied. It brings up themes of artifice, construction, the role of women, and a sense of alienation as one figure gains colour and depth and the other loses definition. Curator: Absolutely. And note the use of color and line. The fiery red and golds juxtapose against the cool blues and purples. Observe also the cascading lines of her ‘dress’, which, read as a stream, appear bottom-heavy yet remarkably buoyant, drawing the eye upwards to her elongated peacock-feather hair. It seems Erté employs these opposing principles for visual interest but also possibly as a metaphor to express emotional weight, or its alleviation. Editor: In my perspective, Art Deco, particularly Erté's work, was about more than mere surface beauty, as beautiful as it may be; it was embedded in and influenced by societal transformations concerning gender roles, Orientalism, and theatre culture in the early 20th century. There are multiple Orientalist depictions to draw from during the Western fascination of Asian themes from plays like 'Turandot' that inform the way Erte composes an erotic and symbolic encounter within the history of its own production and its viewership then, now and onward. Curator: True, considering that museums play a key role in legitimizing narratives and shaping perceptions; let us embrace this work of art for being stylistically beautiful. Editor: Agreed. This work prompts a meditation not only on the relationship between aesthetics and themes but on the act of its interpretation, an example of which, as our visiters can now tell, resides within our perspectives, offering multiple points of ingress.