Jean Cocteau, French 1889-1963- Design for Paris - Cœur à Cœur, circa 1962; pastel and crayons on paper, titled Paris - Cœur à Cœur, upper right, 21.5 x 13.5cm; along with a text by Jean Cocteau signed and dated 1962 (ARR) Provenance: Cornette de Saint CYR Maison de Ventes S.A.S, Paris 27 October 2014, lot 31, where purchased by the current owner. Note: This crayon design is an example of the distinctive style of Jean Cocteau, a major figure of twentieth century culture, whose influence as an artist, poet, novelist, filmmaker and playwright was immeasurable. The strong, clean lines and bright colours undeniably echo the famous poster designs produced by Cocteau, particularly that for his film Le Testament d’Orphée. This drawing was part of a series of studies produced by Cocteau to illustrate the book Opération Coeur de Paris (l’Agence Havas, 1962), but was not included in the final publication. It is a depiction of ‘Marianne’, a symbol of liberty and reason who is frequently used as a representation of the Republic of France. This drawing, and the letter that accompanies it, explores Cocteau’s personal memories of Paris and the central role that the city played in the development of his work. It also celebrates Paris as a centre of wider artistic creativity in the mid-twentieth century. As such, this work is of great cultural significance, as an evocation of the city which gave rise to many of the greatest artistic movements of the early twentieth century, by an artist who was intimately involved with them himself. A certificate of authenticity from Annie Guedras dated 15 February 2019 accompanies this lot. Please refer to department for condition report