30 Harper’s Bazaar Covers Illustrated by Erté in the 1920s and ’30s

Romain de Tirtoff (1892–1990), known by the pseudonym Erté, was a Russian-born French artist and designer. He was a 20th-century artist and designer in an array of fields, including fashion, jewelry, graphic arts, costume, and set design for film, theatre, and opera, and interior decor.

Harper’s Bazaar covers illustrated by Erté in the 1920s and ’30s

In 1915, Erté secured his first substantial contract with Harper’s Bazaar magazine, and thus launched an illustrious career that included designing costumes and stage sets. During this time, he designed costumes for Mata Hari. Between 1915 and 1937, he designed over 200 covers for Harper’s Bazaar, and his illustrations would also appear in such publications as Illustrated London News, Cosmopolitan, Ladies’ Home Journal, and Vogue.

By far, his best-known image is Symphony in Black, depicting a somewhat stylized, tall, slender woman draped in black holding a thin black dog on a leash. The influential image has been reproduced and copied countless times.

Here below is a set of amazing photos that shows covers of Harper’s Bazaar illustrated by Erté in the 1920s and 1930s.

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1920

Harper's Bazaar cover by Erté, November 1920

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1921

Harper's Bazaar cover by Erté, February 1921

Harper's Bazaar cover by Erté, July 1921

Harper's Bazaar cover by Erté, November 1921

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1922

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, July 1922

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1923

Harper's Bazaar cover by Erté, January 1923

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1924

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1925

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1926

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, May 1926

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1928

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1929

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1930

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1931

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, August 1931

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, January 1931

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, June 1931

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, October 1931

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1932

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1933

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, April 1933

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, March 1933

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, November 1933

Harper's Bazaar Christmas cover illustrated by Erté, December 1934

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, July 1934

Harper's Bazaar cover illustrated by Erté, November 1934