COCTEAU JEAN: (1889-1963) French poet, playwright, novelist, artist, filmmaker and critic. A ...

COCTEAU JEAN: (1889-1963) French poet, playwright, novelist, artist, filmmaker and critic. A good original bold pencil drawing signed by Cocteau, executed on a sheet of heavy tracing paper (approximately 20 x 21 at its widest points), n.p., 1950. The image is a line-drawing depicting a hand extended horizontally with the palm facing upwards and a jacket sleeve visible, holding a pencil between the thumb and the last two fingers and with a cigarette positioned between the middle and index figures. Evidently a representation of his own hand, Cocteau has signed the drawing in pencil, adding his familiar star beneath his signature. Irregularly torn to one edge and with a couple of creases to the upper edge and lower left corner, otherwise VG

The drawing was originally created by Cocteau and sent to Pierre Beres in order to illustrate an article by Rene Etiemble which appeared in Art de France (1962).

Pierre Beres (1913-2008) Russian-born French bookseller, antiquarian book collector, publisher and art collector.

Rene Etiemble (1909-2002) French essayist, scholar and novelist.