Compact Vanities 

Erte's "Compact Vanities" is rendered with gouache, an opaque watercolor that allowed the artist to build up dense blocks of color and crisp lines. Erte, best known for his fashion and stage designs, embraced the visual language of Art Deco. Look closely, and you will notice how he deploys clean, streamlined forms and a restrained palette to evoke an atmosphere of luxury and sophistication. The focus here is the artifice of beauty, not just the cosmetics themselves, but also the stylized image of the face in the mirror and the hand that presents it, which is elongated and elegant. The smooth finish of gouache lends a manufactured feel to this piece. "Compact Vanities" reflects the rise of consumer culture and the beauty industry in the early 20th century. It underscores how materials and their modes of presentation shape our understanding of art and its relationship to commerce. Erte asks us to consider these industrial practices as a form of artistry in itself.