Makeup 

Erte created 'Makeup', an image that encapsulates the Art Deco era's fascination with beauty, performance, and the feminine mystique. Born in Russia and working primarily in Paris, Erte's designs graced the covers of magazines like Harper's Bazaar, reflecting and shaping the flapper culture of the 1920s and 30s. The image presents an elegant woman, almost ethereal, caught in the act of applying makeup. Her features are stylized, embodying an idealized version of femininity. This was a period of intense gender role negotiation, as women gained more visibility and agency. Yet, their image was often meticulously constructed, a performance captured here by Erte. The act of applying makeup becomes a symbol of transformation and empowerment, but also of artifice. The woman is both subject and object, actively shaping her image, yet confined to the aesthetic standards of her time. Erte’s work serves as a beautiful, yet complex mirror, reflecting the social and cultural anxieties of a rapidly changing world.