Accession Number2011/2.164
TitleJean Cocteau and Sphinx
Artist(s)Lucien ClergueArtist NationalityFrench (culture or style)Object Creation Date1955; printed 2006Medium & Supportgelatin silver print on paperDimensions 9 3/8 in x 13 7/8 in (23.81 cm x 35.24 cm);12 in x 16 in (30.48 cm x 40.64 cm)
Credit LineGift of Selma and Gerald LotenbergSubject matterThis is a portrait of Jean Cocteau. Clergue and Jean Cocteau began a lasting friendship when Clergue sent photographs to Cocteau in 1956 at Picasso’s suggestion. Their friendship would end with Cocteau’s death in 1963. In 1959 Clergue worked with Cocteau to produce a photographic record of Cocteau's film
Le Testament d’Orphée in Les Baux-de-Provence, Nice, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Villefranche-sur-Mer. In this image, Cocteau stands in front of a wall, the sphinx from the set of the film behind him. Cocteau wears artificial eyes, a prop seen throughout his film.
Physical DescriptionA photograph of a man wearing artificial eyes, standing in front of a wall. Beyond the wall, a sphinx figure can be seen in front of a mountain range.
Primary Object ClassificationPhotographCollection AreaPhotographyRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
film directors
men (male humans)
mountains
portraits
props (object genres)
screen writers
sphinxes