COCTEAU JEAN: (1889-1963) French Writer, Playwright and Filmmaker. An excellent Autograph poem ...

COCTEAU JEAN: (1889-1963) French Writer, Playwright and Filmmaker. An excellent Autograph poem signed `Jean Cocteau´, two pages, folio, Barcelona, 14th July 1953, in French. Cocteau, in his less than usual untidy writing, entitles his poem `l´hommage à Manolete´ (`Tribute to Manolete´), comprising twenty-eight verses, divided in seven quatrains, saluting the memory of the great Spanish matador killed in the arena at the age of thirty, an iconic figure of the bullrings. The autograph poem includes multiple corrections and amendments in the hand of Cocteau, with crossed words, and inclusions. The heart touching poem first describes the bullring, the spectators and the feeling, saying `Figures de soleil et d´ombre seul il danse – Avec la dame illustre en sanglante mantille – Piquets de fleurs, orchestre et cornes d´abondance...´, further Cocteau poetically refers to Manolete´s death, stating `Cercle fermé par le noir joyau d´une oreille – Votre impeccable vie. Echangeâtes vos morts – A Linares, la bête et vous unique abeille – Disparue en un nuage de pollen d´or´ To the last four verses Cocteau concludes in some way the assumption of the Matador´s destiny, saying `Songe une gloire au bord de cette rive assise – Ainsi le vîmes nous, fluvial, sur l´image – Sainte. Que ceux qui ne savent pas lire lisent – Son nom d´astre loué par ma plume mage´ An excellent content poem. With small overall minor age wear, mostly to edges, otherwise G

Manolete (1917-1947) Manuel Laureano Rodriguez Sanchez, known as Manolete, Spanish Bullfighter, widely considered one of the greatest bullfighters of all time. Manolete died in August 1947, following a fatal goring that occurred in his appearance alongside the glamourous matador Luis Miguel Dominguin in the Andalusian town of Linares. As he killed the fifth bull of the day, the Miura named Islero, Manolete was gored in his upper right leg, in an event that left Spain in a state of shock.

The present poem was first published in 1957, included in the collection of works by Cocteau entitled La Corrida du 1er Mai (“The bullfight of the 1^st of May”), by Grasset editions. This first edition was including drawings by Cocteau himself.

Cocteau discovered Spain in July 1953 and was quickly fascinated by the bullfights and the flamenco. He made important researches on their origins and essence of both arts, emphasizing their sexual and tragic dimensions.