Eyes of Jealousy 

Erte made "Eyes of Jealousy" as a serigraph, likely sometime in the 20th century, and it presents us with a stylized mask, its gaze fixed and intense. Erte worked across visual media and was deeply embedded in the world of theater and fashion. With its strong lines and dramatic composition, this print, while not made for the stage, suggests a theatrical performance and a world of hidden emotions. What does it mean to represent emotion through a mask? This image raises questions about the nature of identity. Is jealousy intrinsic, or a performance? To understand Erte and his work better, we can look to publications on design history, fashion, and theater during the early to mid-20th century. With its focus on social context, art history lets us decode the meaning and impact of art.