Chinese fan-bearer; for the number The Woman and the Devil at the Theatre Apollo in Paris 

Editor: This is Erté’s “Chinese fan-bearer; for the number The Woman and the Devil at the Theatre Apollo in Paris”, made with mixed media, including tempera. There’s something theatrical and almost dreamlike about it, with those flat, bold colors. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: Well, it’s impossible to look at this work without acknowledging the history of Orientalism. Erté, a European artist, is visually appropriating and reinterpreting Chinese culture for a Western audience. Consider the gaze involved here – who is this performance *for*, and what stereotypes are being reinforced or challenged? Editor: I hadn't considered the stereotypes at play. What exactly *is* Orientalism in this context? Curator: It's the West's patronizing representations of "the East" as exotic, mysterious, and often inferior. This image, with its emphasis on stylized clothing and flattened perspective, risks reducing a complex culture to mere visual spectacle. We have to ask, does it perpetuate harmful fantasies or offer any real understanding? Editor: So, seeing this today, we have to think about its origins and whether it perpetuates historical power imbalances? Curator: Exactly. Who has the power to represent whom? It's crucial to question whether this image exoticizes Chinese culture. The piece might have seemed avant-garde at the time, but now we can read it through a more critical lens that considers postcolonial theory and cultural appropriation. Does seeing it change how you view the work now? Editor: Definitely. I see it more critically now, as a product of its time that demands we think about representation and cultural exchange very differently. Curator: And that awareness is precisely what allows us to engage with art in a meaningful way, to learn from history while striving for a more equitable future.