“Being hated by idiots is the price you pay for not being one of them.”
- Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) was a French poet, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, and artist who became one of the leading figures of the Parisian avant-garde.
Throughout his career, Cocteau collaborated with and was closely associated with influential artists such as Pablo Picasso and Erik Satie. His diverse body of work included Les Enfants terribles, Beauty and the Beast, and Orphée, showcasing his distinctive approach to literature, theater, and cinema.
Once regarded as an artistic outsider, Cocteau eventually received one of France’s highest cultural honors when he was elected to the prestigious Académie française in 1955.