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Jean Cocteau, Profile, from The Horsemen of Shadow, 1956 (after)
1956

Price:$628.58

$956List Price

About the Item

This exquisite lithograph after Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Profil (Profile), from the album Les Cavaliers d'Ombre; Sous le Manteau de Feu (The Horsemen of Shadow; Under the Cloak of Fire), originates from the 1956 edition published by L'Academie francaise, Paris, under the direction of Joseph Foret, Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, June 20, 1956. Profil (Profile) exemplifies Cocteau’s poetic synthesis of simplicity and symbolism, capturing the purity of a single contour that evokes both introspection and divinity. Through a minimal yet lyrical line, Cocteau transforms a human profile into a universal image of contemplation and grace, revealing his belief that art and spirit are reflections of one another. The drawing’s linear elegance and spiritual resonance embody Cocteau’s lifelong pursuit of beauty as revelation. Executed as a lithograph on velin paper, this work measures 9.84 x 6.69 inches. Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the masterful craftsmanship of Mourlot Freres, Paris, under the supervision of Joseph Foret, Editeur, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: After Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) Title: Profil (Profile), from the album Les Cavaliers d'Ombre; Sous le Manteau de Feu (The Horsemen of Shadow; Under the Cloak of Fire), 1956 Medium: Lithograph on velin paper Dimensions: 9.84 x 6.69 inches (25 x 17 cm) Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued Date: June 20, 1956 Publisher: L'Academie francaise, Paris, under the direction of Joseph Foret, Editeur, Paris Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the album Les Cavaliers d'Ombre; Sous le Manteau de Feu, published by L'Academie francaise, Paris, under the direction of Joseph Foret, Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, June 20, 1956 Notes: Excerpted from the album (translated from French): Under the direction of Joseph Foret, Publisher of Art in Paris, this album, printed by Dominique Viglino and of which the two original lithographs of Jean Cocteau, forming the cover were printed on the presses of Mourlot Freres, was completed on June 20, 1956. The print run was limited to CCC examples, with the colophons numbered from I to CCC. Reproduction rights of illustrations, S. P. A. D. E. M., Paris. About the Publication: Les Cavaliers d'Ombre; Sous le Manteau de Feu (The Horsemen of Shadow; Under the Cloak of Fire) was published in Paris in 1956 under the direction of Joseph Foret, one of the most visionary and ambitious art publishers of the mid-20th century. Produced in collaboration with L'Academie francaise and printed by the renowned Mourlot Freres studio, the volume represents the synthesis of literature, art, and spirituality that characterized Foret’s projects. Known for his dedication to uniting the creative disciplines, Foret produced a number of monumental livre d'artiste editions that featured original lithographs by modern masters, among them Picasso, Dali, and Cocteau. This edition was completed on June 20, 1956, and limited to 300 examples, each printed on fine velin paper. Cocteau’s Profil reflects his fascination with the divine simplicity of the human face, a recurring theme in his drawings, murals, and ceramics. Its linear purity mirrors the contemplative tone of the accompanying texts, merging visual poetry with spiritual reflection. About the Artist: Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) was a French artist, poet, playwright, filmmaker, and designer whose boundless imagination and multidisciplinary genius made him one of the most influential cultural figures of the 20th century. Born in Maisons-Laffitte near Paris, Cocteau emerged as a prodigy whose creative energy spanned literature, cinema, theater, music, and the visual arts, reshaping modern creativity through his conviction that beauty, myth, and imagination were universal languages. A central figure of the Parisian avant-garde, he moved among and collaborated with Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—artists who, like Cocteau, were revolutionizing modern thought through bold experimentation. His early collaboration with Picasso and Erik Satie on Parade (1917) for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes signaled a new era of interdisciplinary art, merging music, design, and theater into a total work of imagination. Cocteau’s visual art—characterized by fluid line drawings, mythological motifs, and lyrical simplicity—revealed a mastery of composition that blended classical elegance with modern abstraction. His murals for the Chapelle Saint-Pierre in Villefranche-sur-Mer and the Chapelle Saint-Blaise-des-Simples in Milly-la-Foret stand among the great achievements of sacred modern art, balancing spirituality and modernist form with serene clarity. Equally revolutionary were his contributions to literature and film: his novels (Les Enfants Terribles), plays (La Machine Infernale, Les Parents Terribles), and films (La Belle et la Bete, Orphee, Le Testament d’Orphee) established him as one of the founding visionaries of poetic cinema, influencing filmmakers such as Federico Fellini, Jean-Luc Godard, David Lynch, and Guillermo del Toro. In fashion and theater, his collaborations with Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Elsa Schiaparelli merged art and couture, expanding his influence beyond the visual and literary arts. His friendship with Jean Marais inspired some of his most intimate works, while his portraits and ceramics revealed a wit and grace that elevated simplicity to transcendence. Cocteau’s aesthetic bridged classical myth and modern psychology, dream and reality, light and line—an approach that inspired later artists from Andy Warhol, David Bowie, and Jean-Michel Basquiat to Alexander McQueen and John Galliano. His works are held in major museums including the Centre Pompidou, the Musee Jean Cocteau in Menton, the Tate, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and his enduring appeal lies in his ability to unite art forms through poetry, elegance, and imagination. Standing alongside Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, Cocteau remains a beacon of creative synthesis whose influence continues to shape modern art, film, and design. His highest auction record was achieved by Jean Marais dans “La Belle et la Bete” (1946), which sold for 611,622 USD at Sotheby’s, Paris, on October 18, 2023, reaffirming his enduring legacy as one of the most visionary, poetic, and collectible artists of the modern era. Jean Cocteau Profil, Cocteau Les Cavaliers d'Ombre, Cocteau Sous le Manteau de Feu, Cocteau Joseph Foret, Cocteau Mourlot Freres.

Creation Year:
1956
Dimensions:
Height: 9.84 in (25 cm)Width: 6.69 in (17 cm)
Medium:
Lithograph
Movement Style:
Modern
After:
Jean Cocteau (French)
Period:
1950-1959
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Southampton, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1465217282762

1950s Modern Figurative Prints

Materials

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Jean Cocteau, Profile, from The Horsemen of Shadow, 1956 (after)
1956

About the Item

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