Clergue Captures Cocteau Finely Woven Carpet
Monogrammed Old Master
Lavish photo testaments to an era By Valerie Gladstone
Old Master Portrait
shoulders and bulbous glass eyes. Clergue even shot the bulbous glass eyes affixed to Cocteau’s face. Looking at these photos, one can’t help but think, like the character in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, that those were halcyon days. Perhaps not, but it’s entertaining and enlightening to have Clergue’s images, which allow us to feel that way. An especially artistic photographer, Clergue went on to have a 30-year association with Picasso as well as friendships with artists like Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Jean
Jean Cocteau only directed six films, spending far more energy on his poetry, painting, sculpture and novels. But from The Blood of a Poet (1930) to the great Beauty and the Beast (1946) and his final Testament of Orpheus (1959), he brought poetry, ideas and fantasy into his film work. In Testament of Orpheus, he chronicled his own search for the meaning of art and life, disguising himself as an 18th-century poet. Wanting company on this project, he invited old friends and luminaries to be part of the production, which was shot in Les Bauxde-Provence. A glittery bunch, they included actors from his previous films, like Jean Marais, Maria Casares, Edouard Dermit and Henri Cremieux, as well as Pablo Picasso, Jean-Pierre Leaud, François Truffaut, Yul Brynner, Roger Vadim, Brigitte Bardot and Françoise Sagan. As one can imagine, what went on behind the scenes was often as interesting as what made it to the screen. Fortunately, now-famed photographer Lucien Clergue, who was then only 25, was there to capture much of it. The first New York exhibit of his exquisite gelatin silver prints (Lucien Clergue: Jean Cocteau, Lucien Clergue, Yul Brynner and Jean Cocteau, “Testament The Testament of Orpheus 1959, of Orpheus,” Les Baux de Provence, 1959. Lucien Clergue: Jean Cocteau, The Testament of Orpheus 1959. Curated by James curated by James Cavello at WestCavello. Nov. 18–Dec. 31, 2011. Westwood Gallery NYC. wood Gallery) includes marvel© 1959 Lucien Clergue. Courtesy Westwood Gallery NYC. ous portraits, such as the poetic “Jean Cocteau at Milly-la-Foret” (1959), with the great man elegantly dressed in Renoir, Roman Polanski, Robert Rauschenan overcoat and scarf, standing in front of one berg and Christian Lacroix. He also made of his drawings, his eyes closed as if dream- art-related films, such as Picasso, War, Love ing of something beautiful. There’s another of and Peace (1968). Widely exhibited and colCocteau and Brynner, both debonair men in lected, his works can be found in The Musemoody silhouette, the actor dashing in a tux- um of Modern Art, The Boston Museum and edo, a cigarette at his lips. The Fogg Museum at Harvard University, A group shot dominated by the ebullient among others. Fittingly, the photographs Picasso shows him surrounded by his soon- in this show will become part of the permato-be wife Jacqueline Rocque, bullfighter Luis nent collection of a new museum dedicated Dominguez, Cocteau, Serge Lifar and Lucia to Cocteau in Menton, France, not far from Bose. They are a happy, animated band of where they were shot. players, all great characters of the time. At least two photos of Cocteau and the Lucien Clergue: Jean Cocteau, The Sphinx give some idea of the eccentricity of Testament of Orpheus 1959 Cocteau’s vision as he stands against a wall Through Dec. 30, Westwood Gallery, 568 Broadway, with what look like wings sprouting from his 212-925-5700, www.westwoodgallery.com.
Clarke’s Holiday Fine Art & Antique Auction Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 2:00pm
Monogrammed Old Master (Top), Finely Woven Carpet (Bottom Left), Victorian Clock
Clarke Auction ∙ 2372 Boston Post Road ∙ Larchmont, NY 10538 Ph: (914) 833-8336 ∙ Fax: (914) 833-8357 ∙ Email: info@clarkeny.com
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November 30–December 13, 2011 | CityArts 5