Jean Cocteau - Original Drawing - Enfants Terribles 1935

Jean Cocteau (1889-1963) - "La mort de Michaël" - Original Indian ink drawing, 1934.

Study for drawing N°39 in the book "Soixante dessins pour les Enfants Terribles" - Grasset edition - 1935.

Workshop stamp. Drawing listed in the Guedras archives, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Annie Guedras, expert on Jean Cocteau's work.

Size: 27 x 21 cm. An elegant marie-louise having framed the drawing is enclosed with it.

"La mort de Michaël" is set just after Élisabeth's wedding to Michaël, a wealthy heir, as the couple leave for their honeymoon. The tragic accident allows Élisabeth to remain "pure" (an "iron virgin", as Cocteau writes) and return to "la Chambre" with her brother Paul, without having consummated her marriage.

Splendid drawing.

"The car was leaving town. Michaël, distraught with happiness, wasn't looking at the road. He had turned to Elisabeth and was holding her hands. Suddenly, a truck appeared from a side road. The impact was terrible. Michaël was killed instantly, his head smashed against the doorpost."

(Jean Cocteau, Les Enfants terribles)