Michelle 

Erte’s ‘Michelle’ captures the opulent style of the Art Deco era. Born in Russia, Erte’s career flourished in Paris, and his designs graced the covers of Harper's Bazaar. Here, a slender figure is draped in a kimono-style robe, adorned with geometric patterns and bold colors that reflect the era's fascination with exoticism and modernity. The image presents an idealized vision of femininity, influenced by both European and Asian aesthetics. Yet, it also speaks to the complexities of cultural appropriation. It embodies the tensions of a rapidly changing world as it oscillates between reverence and commodification. The subject exudes an air of serene detachment, inviting us to consider the gaze through which women are often viewed, poised between admiration and objectification. Erte's work, while visually striking, prompts reflection on how art both shapes and reflects societal attitudes towards gender, race, and the ever-shifting currents of cultural exchange.