Vamps, Temptress 

Curator: Before us is "Vamps, Temptress," a drawing by the artist Erte, evocative of the Art Deco era. Editor: Oh, my! There is something very distant about this work... the character design is quite rigid, yet enticing to the eye! Curator: Enticing is an excellent word. Focus on the chromatic scheme. It’s a somewhat restrained palette, all browns, black and a slight hint of lilac—allowing for the intricacy of line work and geometry of shapes to dominate. How does it guide your gaze? Editor: The geometry directs your vision upwards along the frame of the body toward the elaborate, almost otherworldly headdress. She seems so composed, the perfect woman to express glamour during an era in history where women wanted to experience equality with men, the first modern era as we know it! Curator: Notice the precise articulation of the costume. It’s both elaborate and strategic—drawing attention to silhouette through asymmetry, the linear ornamentation, and carefully placed beads to produce movement. Editor: Absolutely! There's such tension here too. She appears sensual, but this is coupled with an undeniable expression of agency in the character’s own body. She seems untouchable and perhaps challenging to male dominance at the same time. Curator: Indeed, in Erte’s images, we see the synthesis of the constructedness of representation through precise artistic execution—with the subtle insinuation of narratives about power and spectacle. Editor: So, would you agree then that through what can appear to be decorative, Erte captured a subtle yet seismic shift in understandings about beauty, fashion and power dynamics? I think he captured what it felt to be modern. Curator: I concur, and perhaps most remarkably he did it through drawing. Editor: This drawing truly showcases how much further art can push boundaries beyond societal expectations through the representation of female empowerment. A gem!