Jun 20, 2019 - Sale 2514

Sale 2514 - Lot 56

Price Realized: $ 688
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 600 - $ 900
JEAN COCTEAU (1889-1963)


Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, working draft of a brief essay entitled "La Marquise Casati: actrice sans théâtre," in French.

6 pages, tall 4to, written on versos of separate sheets of "Hotel de La Momounia" stationery.
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"The Marchesa Casati gave us the performance of one of those great actresses of the theater of fashion, one of those tragedians who never step onto the stage and whose genius for appearing and expressing themselves needs only a festival, a ball, the lightings of an evening. . . . [H]er fashion didn't follow 'the fashion' and didn't obey the orders of courtiers and coiffeurs. . . . [She would] make herself up like a Gorgon and like death. She frightened, subjugated, eclipsed more perfect and finer beauties. . . . [S]he alone seemed to receive the light of some unknown projector. . . ."
Luisa Casati (1881-1957) was an Italian heiress and socialite who inspired and patronized artists the world over, and whose spectacular experiments in fashion became legendary.