
Erté is sometimes called the “Father of Art Deco.” His elegant fantasies left their mark on many fields, among them the theater, including stage revues of the kind familiar from old Hollywood extravaganzas. This whimsical set design places the action at the bottom of the sea. Erté emphasizes the water’s depth by placing the two side views high up on the wall. In the deeper center section, the color of the water transitions from light green to blue. Coral, fish, and seaweed populate the scene. Closer inspection reveals two showgirls, one dressed as exotic seaweed and the other as a scallop shell filled with pearls.