Aphrodite

Roman Petrovich Tyrtov (1892 – 1990) is a Russian born French artist and designer known by the pseudonym Ert’e. He was a 20th century artist and designer in an array of fields, including fashion, jewelry, graphic arts, costume and set design for film, theatre, and opera and interior décor. His first substantial contract was with Harper’s Bazaar magazine and thus launched his illustrious career. He designed over 200 magazine covers for Harpers and his work is also featured in Illustrated London News, Cosmopolitan, Ladies’ Home Journal, and Vogue. Ert’e is most famous for elegant fashion designs which capture the art deco period in which he worked. In 1925, Louis B. Mayer brought him to Hollywood to design sets and costumes for the silent film, Paris. There were many script delays, so Ert’e was given other assignments to keep him busy. Hence he designed for such films as Ben-Hur, The Mystic, Time, The Comedian, and Dance Madness. In 1920, he designed the set and costumes for the film Restless Sex starring Marion Davies and financed by William Randolph Hearst. By far, his best-known image is Symphony in Black, depicting a somewhat stylized, tall, slender woman draped in black holding a thin black dog on a leash. He worked throughout his life designing revues, and operas. He had a major rejuvenation and much-lauded interest in his career during the 1960’s with the Art Deco revival. From 1960 to 1990, Ert’e branched out into the realm of limited-edition prints, bronzes, and wearable art (jewelry). Two years before his death, Ert’e created seven limited-edition bottle designs for Courvoisier to show the different stages of the cognac-making process, from distillation to maturation. In 2008, the eighth and final of the remaining Ert’e-desig ned Courvoisier bottles, containing Grande Champagne cognac dating back to 1892, was released and sold for $ 10,000.00 each. This bronze statue of Aphrodite is #233 of 375. Aphrodite dimensions: 19" X 22" x 5.5 Certificate of Authenticity included NOTICE: Be sure to observe the two pictures that show some scratches and discoloration/chipped petina at the base.