A PAIR OF GOLD CUFFLINKS, BY JEAN COCTEAU (1889-1963) Each V-shaped plaque depicting an abstract face, with cable-link connectors to a gold polished bar, in 18K gold, signed Jean Cocteau, stamped with Francois Hugo's hallmark, French assay marks, within fitted maker's case signed Jean Cocteau, length 2.1cm For a comparable pair of cufflinks by Jean Cocteau, see Hugo, P. and Siaud, C. (2001) Bijoux d'artistes. Artist’s Jewels, Hommage à Francois Hugo, p. 79 François Hugo’s “bijou d’artiste” collaborations emerged from a wide range of encounters. Many among his close circle of friends sought out Hugo’s skill and expertise at different stages in their life and for a myriad of reasons. Yet the unifying theme resonating from all “bijoux d’artistes” from Atelier Hugo was the intention of both François and his collaborators to create an exquisitely crafted and wearable piece of art. Such was the motive behind the joint work of Jean Cocteau (1859-1963) and Atelier Hugo, when in the 1960s’s Hugo created some pieces with his long-standing friend. At this late stage in his life, Cocteau was living in St Jean Cap Ferrat and had left behind him a prolific career as an acclaimed poet, playwright, painter, novelist and critic. Although Cocteau and Hugo had first met almost forty years prior, it was only later in life that the two struck up a working relationship and sought to collaborate on the creation of jewellery. This was not the first time that Cocteau had delved into the world of jewellery-making as he had in fact been the designer behind several pieces before turning to Hugo. Cocteau’s first jewellery sketches date from the 1930s, when he created a zodiac-themed collection for Parisian jewellers Fred. Cocteau’s collaboration with Hugo had a more personal starting point and the pieces stemmed from the aligned interests and intimate friendship between the two. The gold was meticulously worked by Hugo in his atelier from drawings given to him by Cocteau. The result was a series of beautifully designed sculptural works of wearable art in 23 and 18 karat gold and embellished with precious stones which encompass the artistic vision of Cocteau and the masterful execution by Hugo. Together, the pair went on to create a total of 13 jewellery pieces. Many of Cocteau’s pencilled designs represent human profiles or mystique creatures, inspired by ancient civilisations and astrological symbols. In 1961, the pieces were exhibited alongside other “bijoux d’artistes” including that of Jean Arp and Salvador Dali at the International Exhibition of Modern Jewellery in London, which received an unprecedented response, drawing crowds of visitors totalling 26,000 over a month-long period. The pieces continue to attract huge interest today.