Jean Cocteau

JEAN COCTEAU (Maisons-Laffitte, 1889 - Milly-la-Forêt, 1963).
"Les Ballets Russes de Diaghilev", 1939.
Silkscreen.
In good condition.
Measurements: 115 x 87,5 cm.

Poster realized on the occasion of the exhibition Ballets Russes de Diaghilev, organized at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, in the Palais du Louvre (Paris), and extended until July 1939 within the program of the Grande Saison de Paris. The exhibition, organized by Serge Lifar, paid tribute to one of the most influential artistic adventures of the 20th century.

The printed illustration (signed on plate by Cocteau) presents a stylized female figure in full movement, synthesizing with great elegance the spirit of ballet and the scenic modernity promoted by Diaghilev. The linear, fluid and expressive drawing, characteristic of Cocteau, combines lyricism and formal synthesis, evoking both the grace of the dancing body and the poetic dimension of the spectacle.

This poster is of remarkable historical and artistic interest, as it is located at the crossroads between visual arts, dance, music and theater, disciplines that Cocteau masterfully integrated throughout his career. Its value as a cultural document is reinforced by its chronological context, on the eve of World War II, and by its direct link to the great Parisian cultural institutions.

Jean Cocteau was one of the most multifaceted figures of 20th century French culture: poet, cartoonist, filmmaker, playwright and visual artist. His work is preserved in important institutions such as the Musée National d'Art Moderne - Centre Pompidou and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, as well as the Tate in London and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. His decisive contribution to the renewal of the performing and visual arts makes him a key figure of European modernity.