Zsa Zsa 

This is Erte’s depiction of ‘Zsa Zsa’. The piece is undated, but was likely made in France using gouache and ink in the 1920s or 30s. Erte’s work is synonymous with the Art Deco movement, which emphasized the modern aesthetic of clean, simple shapes and vibrant color schemes. The cultural conditions of post-war Europe were critical to the development of this aesthetic. After the devastation of the early 20th century, many artists and designers turned towards imagery that celebrated progress and change, and embraced the mass production of new technologies. Erte was working within the fashion industry during this period, so this image speaks to the cultural history of fashion illustration. The artist’s intention in this work, as with his other fashion designs, was not necessarily to critique social norms, but to embrace the spirit of modernity through the creation of elegant and stylized images. By delving into fashion archives and library collections, we can understand the context in which artists like Erte challenged traditional notions of beauty and pushed the boundaries of visual expression.