Alphabet X 

Erte, the Russian-French artist, created "Alphabet X," a design that speaks volumes about the interplay between commercial art and high culture. Executed as a print, likely using the pochoir technique, the bold graphic style reflects the aesthetics of the Art Deco movement. Consider the precision required to produce such a clean image, with its sharp lines and vibrant, flat colors. This was achieved using stencils, which is labor-intensive. Erte's designs were primarily for commercial contexts, often appearing in magazines like Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, and translated into luxurious garments and set designs. It is interesting to consider the implications of an image like this, which merges the human form with geometric abstraction. By blurring the boundaries between fine art and commercial design, Erte elevated fashion illustration to an art form. This challenged the traditional hierarchy that separates high art from craft and commercial imagery.