Jean Cocteau (1889-1963), Torreador, 1952

Color lithograph on paper signed and dated 1952 in plate
Dimensions in st. p-p: 42.5 x 27.5 cm, 56 x 42.5 cm (with frame)
Condition: good, traces of moisture and folds due to age.

Jean Cocteau was born on July 5, 1889 in Maisons-Laffitte, a small town near Paris. An influential French artist and writer, he is known as one of the main figures of Dadaism and Surrealism. With a body of work that included painting, novels, poetry, plays and films, Cocteau became known as a leading creative force in Paris. A regular member of the avant-garde, he maintained long-standing friendships with artists such as Pablo Picasso, Tristan Tzara, Francis Picabia and Man Ray. Cocteau died on October 11, 1963 at the age of 74 in Milly-la-Foret, France. Today, his works are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, among others.