The Clock, Awakening the Past 

Erte's graphic artwork 'The Clock, Awakening the Past' presents a striking visual, where Art Deco elegance meets the surreal personification of time. The clock's face, labeled "Le Present," is framed by ornate, theatrical forms, immediately drawing our eye to its central motif: time. The composition divides the artwork into distinct zones of past, present, and future, each rendered with symbolic details. The figure atop the clock embodies both the burden and beauty of time, poised between remembrance and anticipation. Erte destabilizes our perception by rendering time not as a linear progression, but as a tableau vivant, a living picture. The use of decorative elements combined with human forms challenges conventional categories, turning the functional into the fantastical. Through this artwork, Erte invites us to contemplate time's subjective experience, emphasizing its power to shape our perceptions and emotions.