
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 22, 1990                   TAG: 9004220095
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PARIS                                LENGTH: Short

ARTIST ERTE DIES IN PARIS AT AGE 97

Erte, whose pioneering art deco designs in graphics, fashion and theater of the 1920s returned to popularity in recent years, died Saturday, a hospital spokesman said. He was 97.

A spokesman at Paris' Cochin Hospital refused to disclose the cause of death. Friends said Erte was hospitalized in poor health three weeks ago after returning from a vacation on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius.

Erte - whose real name was Romain de Tirtoff - was known as a painter, sculptor, lithographer and set designer. He designed costumes for the legendary dancer Anna Pavlova and the performer-spy Mata Hari.

The prolific artist designed every cover of Harper's Bazaar from 1915 to 1936.

His most recent project was to design the sets for the Broadway musical "Stardust." Some of his other major designs for sets and costumes included Debussy's "Pelleas et Melisande" and Racine's "Phedre."

He was also well-known for the opulent clothes and sets he designed for George White's "Scandals," the Ziegfeld Follies and the Folies Bergere.

by CNB