Cocteau Art
Ceramics
Chronology
1889 Jean Cocteau borns « Place Sully » in Maisons Laffite.
1899 Fascinated by the theatre.
1908 Poetry session organized by De Max. With Maurice Rostand and François Bernouard, Jean Cocteau founds the "Shéhérazade" review.
1912 He meets Gide, Serge Diaghilev from "Les ballets russes" and Igor Stravinsky. Makes a break.
1913 Opening night of "Sacre du printemps" (May 29th ) enormous scandal. He finishes “Le Potomak” which he has begun in 1912 in Offranville, at Jacques Emile Blanche’s under Gide’s eye.
1915 Ambulance driver at the front. Makes his first flight with Roland Garros and meets Erik Satie.
1916 Haunts Montparnasse with Modigliani, Apollinaire, Max Jacob, Paul Reverdy, André Salmon, Blaise Cendras. Gets to know Pablo Picasso, who takes him to Diaghilew’s.
1917 Opening night of "Parade" in Châtelet – Scandalizes the "Conservateurs".
1918 With Cendrars, he founds "Les Editions de la Sirène" in which appears "Le coq et l’Arlequin" who blurs him with Stravinski. Musical and poetic sessions with some young musicians (the future group of the six).
1919 At Max Jacob’s, he meets Raymond Radiguet. Artistic column in "Paris-Midi".
1920 "Le boeuf sur le toit" – (February 21st).
1921 « Les Mariés de la Tour Eiffel » - Scandalizes the « modernists ». Stays with Radiguet in Piquey (Arcachon basin).
1923 Radiguet dies (December 13th ).
1924 Period of depression : resorts to Opium – Diaghilew takes him to Monte Carlo.
1925 First detoxification – Stays in Villefranche sur Mer (Welcome Hotel). He meets Christian Bérard. "Opera Poems", "L’Ange Heurtebise". Correspondence with Maritain (October). He finishes "Orphée" (September 27th ). Makes it up with with Stravinski and he quarrels with the surrealists.
1926 Opening night of "Orphée" (June 17th). He meets Desbordes.
1928 Preface to "J’adore" of Desbordes, scandalizes the catholic milieus.
1929 He reads "La voix humaine" to the "Comédie Française". Writing and drawings of « Opium ». He writes "Les enfants terribles" in three weeks (March).
1931 Begins "Le sang d’un poète" and falls seriously sick in Toulon/Mer.
1932 He finishes "La machine infernale" in Saint-Mandrier. In Paris : drawings, songs, sketch of "Les chevaliers de la table ronde". Writes « Essai de critique indirecte ».
1933 Writes and finishes "Les chevaliers de la table ronde".
1934 Opening night of « La machine infernale ».
1935 In "Figaro" : "Portraits-Souvenir".
1936 Goes round the world accompanied by Kill. On the way, he becomes friend with Charlie Chaplin.
1937 Regular column in "Ce soir". Jean Marais starts in "Oedipe-Roy" and "Les chevaliers de la table ronde".
1938 He writes « Les parents terribles ».
1939 In Piquey : « La fin du Potomak ». He writes « Les monstres sacrés » for Yvonne de Bray.
1940 The exodus – He finishes in Perpignan "La machine à écrire". Returns to Paris.
1941 Settles down in the "Palais Royal". He is subject until the end of the war of a resentful campaign. He is victim of an aggression by the members of the L.V.F "Avenue des Champs Elysées" for refusing greeting their flag.
1942 "L’éternel retour" – Testifies in Court of justice for Jean Genet.
1944 Tries to save Max Jacob who dies at Drancy and Jean Desbordes dies tortured by the Gestapo. He finishes "Léone".
1945 He begins turning « La belle et la bête ».
1946 « L’aigle à deux têtes ». He finishes « La difficulté d’être » in Verrières and « la crucifixion ».
1947 He settles down in Milly la Forêt with Jean Marais. Begins the movie "Orphée". Meets Edouard Dermit who will become his adoptive son and heir.
1948 Aubusson’s tapestries. ("Judith et Holopherne").
1949 Trip to the USA – He writes during the flight « La lettre aux américains ».
1950 Meets Francine Weisweller and decorates the "Santo Sospir" villa (Saint Jean Cap-Ferrat).
1951 He finishes "Bacchus" – The play causes a scandal. Controversy with Mauriac.
1952 He finishes "Journal d’un inconnu" and "Le chiffre sept".
1953 Poem "Clair obscur". Writes "La Corrida du 1er mai".
1955 Joins the French Academy (October 20th) and the Royal Academy of Belgium.
1956 He was promoted Dr Honoris Causa by the University of Oxford (June 12th). Undertakes the frescoes of the city hall of Menton and the frescoes of the Chapel Saint Pierre in Villefranche sur Mer.
1957 Ends the frescoes of the Chapel Saint Pierre. With help of Madeline Jolly, he learns the basics of ceramic.
1958 End of the frescoes of the city hall in Menton. In July : first exhibition of ceramics in the fishing Court in Villefranche sur Mer. In November : Paris, inauguration of an exhibition of ceramics in the Lucy Weill gallery.
1959 Writes "Le Requiem", considered as his poetic will. Creation of models for : the decoration of Notre Dame de France in London, the mosaïcs for Cap d’Ail theatre and the Chapel Saint Blaise in Milly la Forêt. Poésie critique (volume 1).
1960 Release of the film « Le testament d’Orphée ». He writes « Le Cérémonial espagnol du Phoénix ». Poésie critique (volume 2).
1961 Ends the Cap d’Ail Theatre.
1962 Publication of "Requiem".
1963 Jean Cocteau dies on 11th of October in Milly la Forêt.
Jean Cocteau was commander of the legion of Honour - Member of the Mallarmé Academy - German Academy (Berlin) - American Academy - Mark Twain (U.S.A) Academy - Honorary Président of the Cannes film festival - Honorary Président of the France-Hongrie Association - Président of the jazz Academy and of the Academy of the Disc.
