COCTEAU Jean

Lot 113
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Estimation :
4000 - 5000 EUR
Result without fees
Result : 15 000EUR
COCTEAU Jean
2 L.A.S. "Jean Cocteau" and "Jean", 1955-1959, to COCO CHANEL; 1 in-4 page decorated with a full-page oil pencil drawing (26.5 x 20.5 cm), and 2 in-8 pages at the header of Santo- Sospir. Beautiful letter to Coco Chanel, decorated with his full-length portrait as an academician. Cocteau, elected on March 3, 1955 to the Académie française, was received on October 20. His academic sword was adorned with an emerald offered by Gabrielle CHANEL.] Monday, October 23rd, 1955. "My Coco Of course I may see you before these lines even reach you. But it is impossible for me not to thank you again for this little wormwood star as the apocalypse would say, falling from our friendly sky. It was not easy to jump this obstacle of skulls and beards. Your star has made me light"... The letter is decorated with a large drawing in bold pencil and ink in which Cocteau represented himself as an academician, climbing a staircase, holding his sword where the precious stone shines. Santo-Sospir 26 January 1959. "My Coco is ridiculous with millions of red blood cells to get on the black market and on my back for weeks like a poor dead turtle. I am not allowed to write but I wanted 1° to disobey (external sign of wealth) 2° to kiss you [...] I had staged Poulenc's opera in Nice the day before my intestinal bleeding"... Provenance: Serge LIFAR collection (his stamp; sale Geneva, 13 March 2002, n° 469).
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