The Giants of 20th Century – Similar names – Eric, Erté, Eric Fraser, and Eric Stemp

Eric is a very influential fashion illustrator in the 1930s. His full name is Carl Erickson but the pen name Eric was more popular because it was signed on his illustrations. His drawings are inspired from life and full of expressionistic style.

Erté is a Russian-born French who is famous both in fashion design and fashion illustration. He became a fashion designer in 1911 in Paris and was employed by Paul Poiret at that time. Erté start to draw illustrations for Harper’s Bazaar from 1915 to 1938 and the magazine use his illustrations as cover frequently. His style is very explicit which is called essentially decorative style by Cally Blackman.

Eric Fraser is a British fashion illustrator and it is hard to find his works. There is only one illustration included in this timeline summary which is an advertisement for journal Weldon’s in 1926.

Eric Stemp could be called a contemporary illustrator so he is not in the same period with the first three illustrators. Eric Stemp has his precise college style and his illustrations became the feature of many magazines after the war. Simpson’s Piccadilly employed him as advertising illustrator since 1964. And Eric Stemp was also a lector at Central Saint Martins teaching students about fashion illustration.

Next is the timeline of these three Erics and one Erté.