Jean COCTEAU (1889 - 1963)
Set of 3 autograph letters
signed.
- Autograph letter signed
"Jean", addressed to "ma
dear Mary" [i.e. Mary Hoeck,
translator of his works into
English]. Santo Sospir, August 21
1952.
One page in-8.
"I have received Dali's Christ. The
American press had claimed
that I was saying: Dali sold Christ
more expensive than Judah [...]". Cocteau
later denied having made such
such criticism, even
that he did not know the painting
the painting, and that after seeing a reproduction
reproduction, he thought, "It seems to me
seems to me to be a beautiful work and
I prefer it to his Virgin". He then
gives some news of his work
work in progress, "[...] I'm dictating
the last pages of my book
Journal d'un inconnu'. At the same
I'm also working on this poem (one hundred
stanzas) to be called either 'le
chiffre 7 ', or ' soirée d'adieux ',
or 'death fanfare'".
He concludes his letter by mentioning
local news, namely the fires
and "the terrible tragedy
of your compatriots", namely
the murder of two British tourists
tourists, which became known as the
Dominici affair.
- Autograph letter signed
"Jean", to the same address. S.l., 7
Nov[ember] (crossed out, replaced by
Dec[ember]) 1952.
One page in-4 (2 small tears
in margins).
Letter mainly devoted to
the problems of translation,
in which the poet mentions in particular
a translation of the
Beauty and the Beast, strongly asserts
that it is the author's duty to choose
and defend his translators
and that he does so himself.
"[...] The moral right of The Hague
is formal. If a translation is
author has the right to demand a new one.
demand a new one". And he concludes
by reassuring his translator
about the work she does
on her own poems: "As far as the
poems, the day will come
day will come when publishers will be
happy to have your treasure.
- Autograph letter signed
"Jean", addressed to "Mon Jean".
St Jean Cap Ferrat, August 5, 1962.
One page in-4 (2 adhesive stains
in margin); autograph envelope.
Letter addressed to Jean Denoël
(1902-1976), publisher and collaborator
collaborator of Gaston Gallimard, co-founder of
of literary prizes and later executor
executor of the wills of Jean
Cocteau and Max Jacob.
"All week I had to play
Queen Elisabeth's best man
Elisabeth, alas indefatigable. This
evening I begin my radio
with Pierre Brive. And
all the time I miss our mornings,
our kitchen, and this loving
fatigue."
He then asks his
correspondent to have Gallimard
Gallimard a copy of
of his book Cérémonial espagnol du
Phénix, to a gallery in Cannes.
3 L.A.S.
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