Letter w - from the suite letters of the alphabet is a contemporary artwork realized by erté (romain de tirtoff). Lithograph and screen print. The artwork is from the suite "letters of the alphabet", 1976. Hand signed on the lower margin. Artist proof (pa). Provenance personal collection serge leeman. According to the fascinating story of the alfabeth, letter w stands for woman, based on what roland barthes wrote in 1972. “erté’s purgatory is woman. To tell the truth [it is] as if he could never free himself from them (soul or accessory, obsession, or convenience?), as if woman signed each of his sketches more surely than his finely-hand-written-name \. Cherchez la femme. She is found everywhere.” romain de tirtoff (23 november 1892 – 21 april 1990) was a russian-born french artist and designer known by the pseudonym erté. He was a 20th-century artist and designer who flourished in an array of fields, including fashion, jewellery, graphic arts, costume and set design for film, theatre, and opera, and interior decor. “not only do i do what i want to do, but i do my work in my own way and never have been influenced by another artist.” erté this piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no official proof of authenticity, however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising from misattribution