Number 0 

Erte made this illustration of the numeral zero with ink on paper, a popular and relatively inexpensive choice for commercial illustration. The graphic quality of the work relies on the contrast between the velvety black background and the crisply defined lips, smoke, and decorative border. The work’s material influence lies in the ink’s ability to create both flat, opaque surfaces and delicate, translucent lines. Look at the way Erte renders the smoke, for example. These effects were achieved through traditional drawing techniques, with tools like fine brushes to produce crisp lines. The artist’s work has a distinctive Art Deco aesthetic, characterized by elegant and stylized forms and a feeling of luxury. Yet the means of production were quite modest. The impact of works like this lies not in their inherent value, but in the artist’s skillful manipulation of materials to create evocative images, which is the real craft at play here.