Lot 62
Erte (1892-1990)
Lot 62 Details
Erte (1892-1990), French
AVA MARIA (STAGE DESIGN)
Pencil and gouache on japon paper;
“Erte/ Romain de Tirtoff / 124, Rue de Brancas / Sevres (S.-&-O.)” studio stamp upper right, titled to the loose typed page affixed to the verso backing with typed description of the scene: “A grand statue of the Virgin beautifully done in silver ornamented with diamonds emerges from a pyramid of church candles. These candles should be of paste-board with electric lamps shaped exactly like flames. At the bottom, around these candles, several nuns completely dressed in long white robes are kneeling. They sing holding their arms toward the madonna (sic). An enormous blue veil comes down from the high crown of the Virgin. This veil has designs imprinted on it representing enormous white angels and clouds of different tones of blue at the bottom. Through this veil one can see the statue of the madonna (sic), the candles and the nuns. You must have a very brilliant lighting effect behind the veil. The top of the crown of the Virgin, which is not covered by the blue veil, is in the shape of a cupola of diamonds...” with further instructions for the stage design
Sheet sight 10.25" x 14.5" — 26 x 36.8 cm.
Estimate $500-$700
Provenance:
The following lots: Lots 62- 68 inclusive, from a folio of drawings from the collection with George Stathos, Astoria, New York in 1989;
Coll. in Indian Lake in Upstate New York, said to have worked with Erte and left with these works in 1970s;
Private Collection, Toronto