Artist 101
5 Things to Know
About Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau defies categorisation. While the polymath called himself a poet, he worked across almost every artistic medium, creating surreal worlds in which to immerse his audience through writing, visual art, plays, and films.
Here, we take a closer look at the leading figure of the French avant-garde—illustrated by upcoming Cocteau works from Impressionist & Modern Art in New York on 17 May and previously sold lots.
1. Renaissance Man
Jean Cocteau was born in 1889 into a wealthy family living near Paris. At the age of 10, his father committed suicide, and throughout his teenage years Cocteau struggled at school and sought solace in the arts. Faced with the harsh realities of life, he turned to creating fantasy worlds through theatre and poetry. From an early age, then, Cocteau developed his artistic sensibilities—characterised by a focus on the personal and the poetic—which run throughout his diverse body of work.
In 1907, Cocteau and his mother moved to Paris. Here, he began frequenting cafes and bistros of Montparnasse, which was a bohemian mecca in the early 20th century. In this neighbourhood, he mingled with trailblazers of modernism, from Pablo Picasso and Amedeo Modigliani, to writers including Max Jacob and Guillaume Apollinaire. Many became life-long friends and collaborators; when Cocteau created the ballet Parade in 1917, for instance, Picasso designed the set and costumes while Apollinaire wrote the programme notes.
“A kind of surrealism” is how Apollinaire described Parade, thus coining the term a few years before the art movement emerged in Paris. But while Cocteau is associated with Surrealism, he was never truly affiliated with the group. Whilst his work shares the Surrealists’ preoccupation with dreams, the group rejected the romanticism of Cocteau’s style which they saw as antithetical to their ethos. In the 1920s, Cocteau followed Picasso in his rejection of the extreme avant-garde trend of the preceding decade, calling Cubism a “return to order”.
Jean Cocteau (1889-1963). La colline de l'Acropole. Estimate: US$3,000 - US$5,000
Jean Cocteau (1889-1963). La colline de l'Acropole. Estimate: US$3,000 - US$5,000
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2. Theatre & Literature
Cocteau’s first taste of success came when he was just 19, with the publication of a volume of poems, La Lampe d’Aladin (1908). A second volume, Le Prince Frivole (1910), became his nickname (“The Frivolous Prince”) within bohemian circles, as he developed a reputation as a dilettante. But, throughout his lifetime of creative innovation, Cocteau proved his commitment to literature and the arts.
He wrote five novels, most notably Le Livre Blanc (1928) and Les Enfants Terribles (1929). Both works courted controversy: the former for its autobiographical portrayal of homosexuality, the latter for its turbulent relationship between a real-life brother and sister.
Cocteau’s enduring love of theatre is evident in the sheer volume of plays, ballets, and operas he wrote. His first major theatrical work was Orphée (1925), a supernatural retelling of the Greek myth, with décors by Jean Hugo and costumes by Coco Chanel. In the proceeding decades, several productions were staged in prestigious Parisian theatres.
Jean Cocteau (1889-1963). Judith et Holopherne. Estimate: US$100,000 - US$150,000
Jean Cocteau (1889-1963). Judith et Holopherne. Estimate: US$100,000 - US$150,000
3. Film
Cocteau’s first endeavour in film, Le Sang d’un poète, bears all the hallmarks of the artist. An avant-garde, Surrealist exploration of the tribulations of a poet, it broke new ground as the first film to be constructed as an artwork. It also caused outrage, due to its depiction of a child’s death; as a result, the film wasn’t realised until 1932, two years after it was completed.
His next film, La Belle et la Bête (1946) is a fantastical reimagining of the fairy tale, and is now considered a classic of French cinema. After having made several other films in the 40s and 50s, and returned to the director’s chair for a final time with Le Testament d'Orphée (1960). Revisiting his previous preoccupation with dreamlike worlds, Cocteau stars in this film as a version of himself. The film’s final line epitomises Cocteau’s intensely personal approach to his artistic practice: “If you didn’t like it, I’m sorry, for I put my all into it.”
Catherine Madeline, Jean Cocteau
Catherine Madeline, Jean Cocteau
4. Ceramics
After an intense period of directing films, Cocteau spent much of the 1950s focused on visual arts. He found that painting provided relief from depression, and in 1957, he embarked on a new creative collaboration with two ceramicists. At the age of 68, he happily became the “apprentice” to Marie Madeline Jolly and Philippe Madeline, working in their studio in Villefranche-sur-Mer until his death in 1963. Throughout this period, he created over 300 pieces.
It was Picasso who originally piqued Cocteau’s interest in ceramics, and there are similarities between their styles. Both kept it simple when it came to form and made playful references to Classical mythology. But there is a rarefied quality to Cocteau’s ceramics, found in the clean, graphic lines and the stylised profiles of mythical figures. The present collection of ceramics from l’Atelier Madeline-Jolly is the largest group of Cocteau ceramics to be offered at auction. The collection compresses the original models that Jean Cocteau carefully crafted and some accompanied by the correspondent design drawing. All fresh to the market and with the best provenance possible. The sale presents a unique opportunity for Cocteau lovers and collectors to grab a piece of his testament as an artist and craftmanship.
Lot 45. Jean Cocteau, Orphée, signed Jean Cocteau. Conceived in 1958. This work is the original model made by Cocteau for the subsequent edition of 30. Sold for €9,562.50 inc. premium
Lot 45. Jean Cocteau, Orphée, signed Jean Cocteau. Conceived in 1958. This work is the original model made by Cocteau for the subsequent edition of 30. Sold for €9,562.50 inc. premium
Read more: A unique collection celebrating Jean Cocteau and the Madeline-Jolly workshop
5. Legacy
Jean Cocteau died the day after his close friend, Edith Piaf, in 1963. The prophetic epitaph on his gravestone reads “I stay with you”, and indeed, his influence continues to radiate throughout Western culture. From artists such as Andy Warhol to composers including John Adams, creative figures have drawn inspiration from Cocteau’s experimentation with popular culture and high art. Chanel’s 2021/22 Cruise collection, for instance, is inspired by Cocteau, drawing on both his friendship with Coco Chanel and Le Testament d'Orphée.
Today, much of Cocteau’s work is on display at the Jean Cocteau Museum in Menton, France. The museum shares its collection with the smaller museum created by Cocteau in the town’s abandoned fort, the Musée du Bastion. The artist spent the final years of his life restoring the building and selecting works, which eventually opened to the public three years after his death in 1966. Outside of the Pompidou Centre, these are the only places to see a rare Cocteau painting. Works in other media, including drawings and ceramics, are more widely available, and regularly come to the market at a variety of price points.
Own an artwork by Jean Cocteau? Submit it online for a free auction estimate
Jean Cocteau (1889-1963). Arabesques II. Estimate: US$2,000 - US$3,000
Jean Cocteau (1889-1963). Arabesques II. Estimate: US$2,000 - US$3,000
Register to bid in Impressionist & Modern Art
Our upcoming auction on 17 May features artworks by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Man Ray, Françoise Gilot and more. All works are on view in New York from 5–17 May, entry is free.
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