LONDON — Twenty-two illustrations produced by the Russian-born French artist and designer Erté will be going for auction at Dreweatts on Wednesday.
In 1910, he moved to Paris to follow his dreams of becoming an artist — he started his career with the Parisian couturier Paul Poiret, which led to a collaborative working relationship with Harper’s Bazaar that spanned over two decades. He illustrated 240 covers for the magazine.
The success of Erté’s illustrations with the fashion magazine took his career to the next level, working with Hollywood producers on silent films such as “Paris,” “Ben-Hur” and “The Mystic.”
Courtesy of Dreweatts
The private collector has instructed the auction house to donate the proceeds from the sale equally to three charities: Southbank Sinfonia, Grange Park Opera and Little Angel Theatre in Islington.
Erté was also celebrated for his work with the Parisian theaters the Folies Bergère, Bal Tabarin and Le Lido.
The Dreweatts collection features vibrant and flamboyant illustrations of characters in patterned costumes.
Earlier this month, the antique textiles, furniture, paintings and objects which for decades adorned interior designer Robert Kime’s homes in London and Provençe raised 9.6 million pounds at Dreweatts.
The pre-sale estimate for “Robert Kime: The Personal Collection,” was 1.2 million pounds. More than 900 lots went under the hammer during the three-day auction from Oct. 4 to 6.
Kime had amassed his eclectic collection over 30 years during his travels through the U.K., Europe and the Middle East. The pieces on sale ranged from an ancient Athenian kylix to a silk embellished glove that had belonged to King Charles I and a large, rare bezoar stone dating from the 16th or 17th century.