Asian Princess 

Erte made this print, ‘Asian Princess,’ in the Art Deco style, a visual language defined by its glamorous, stylized imagery. The artist was born in Russia but spent most of his working life in Paris. This image reflects the vogue for ‘Orientalism’ that swept Europe and America in the early 20th century. As European empires expanded into Asia, artists borrowed and re-imagined Asian motifs in their painting, fashion and design. Here, Erte’s ‘Asian Princess’ wears a stylized, theatrical version of traditional Chinese dress. The patterns and border design evoke ancient Chinese art. It is important to remember that Orientalism involved power dynamics: Western artists like Erte had the privilege of representing other cultures through the lens of their own aesthetic values. Art historians use a range of resources to better understand works like this. This could include looking at the artist’s biography, the print’s place within his wider body of work, and the social history of Orientalism as an aesthetic and political project.