Rights sold to Russia (AST) and Spain (Cabaret Voltaire)
Jacques Forrestier is studying for his baccalauréat. His parents are forced to spend a year in the country and decide to leave him in Paris as a live-in student with Professor Berlin.
But Jacques, who has such an effect on the imposing Madame Berlin, first seduces Louise, who dances at la Scala. Then he falls in love with Germaine, who is also a performer.
Prowling around him are Nestor, Lazare and Osiris, the women’s lovers, friends and protectors. There is also Paris itself and the constant stream of bright young things who seem to be thumbing their noses at fate. And yet we all know that the party will have to end one day, and that before we choose our fate, death has already chosen us.
In his first novel, written in 1923, Jean Cocteau combines tenderness, humour and light-heartedness as if in a pastiche. But behind the flourishes and sly winks lies a more serious kind of smile.
The text is illustrated with around twenty drawings by the artist, providing amusing and poetic punctuation to the scenes in the book.
Jean Cocteau (1889 – 1963) was a prolific and bafflingly versatile artist. As a graphic artist, designer, playwright, filmmaker and writer, and a close friend of many major European creators (from Picasso to Coco Chanel via Marcel Proust), he numbers among those who influenced an era. From amongst his tumultuous personal relationships and his critically acclaimed artistic collaborations, one particularly notable example was the work that brought him together with Raymond Radiguet to write Le Diable au corps.
On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his death, éditions Stock will be republishing several of the artist’s books.
« N’ayant pas l’apparence qu’il eût souhaitée, ne répondant pas au type idéal qu’il se formait d’un jeune homme, Jacques n’essayait plus de rejoindre ce type dont il se trouvait trop loin. Il enrichissait faiblesses, tics et ridicules jusqu’à les sortir de la gêne. Il les portait, volontiers, au premier plan. À cultiver une terre ingrate, à forcer, à embellir de mauvaises herbes, il avait pris quelque chose de dur qui ne s’accordait guère avec sa douceur. Ainsi, de mince qu’il était, s’était-il fait maigre ; de nerveux, écorché vif. Coiffant difficilement une chevelure jaune plantée en tous sens, il la portait hirsute. »
Dans ce roman écrit en 1923, Jean Cocteau mêle tendresse, humour et légèreté, comme pour un pastiche. Mais derrière ces pirouettes et ces clins d’oeil, se cache un sourire plus grave.
Le texte est illustré d’une vingtaine de dessins de l’artiste, qui ponctuent avec poésie et drôlerie les scènes du livre.
L'auteur
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