Jean Cocteau (1889 - 1963) ...

Jean Cocteau - French Poet, Artist,Filmmaker,Novelist, and Designer.  His friends - Picasso, Marcel Proust, Andre Gide,A. Modigliani, Diaghilev - Among his friends were some of the most famous people within the artistic circles of his time.

A multi-talented artist, avant-garde filmmaker, eccentric, born into wealth in 1889. He created his own myth - represented as well in his first movie "The Blood of a Poet."

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Jean Cocteau with ceramic plate...

Drawing by Jean Cocteau - 1961

"Art is a marriage of the conscious and the unconscious." - Jean Cocteau

Jean Cocteau by Amedeo Modigliani

Cocteau - A member of the prestigious Academie Francaise 

(in 1955)...

Dora Maar (1907 – 1997).......Painter, Photographer and Poet...

Dora Maar,(1907-1997) French - Painter, Poet and Photographer...

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Dora Maar - Portrait of Picasso - 1936

She was a Painter in her own right.

Pablo Picasso - Dora and the Minotaur - Composition - 1936

also known for her love affair with Pablo Picasso for 7 years - He was 54 and she was 29 when they first met in 1936, she was introduced by French poet Paul Eluard.

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Pablo Picasso - Dora Maar with a Crown of Flowers - 1937

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A very private person - after her life with Picasso - she lived in solitary. Her painting and writing poetry would continue during her life time.

Pablo Picasso - Portrait of Dora Maar - 1937

She studied painting with André L'hote before meeting Henri Cartier-Bresson, who advised her to take up photography. Not to forget that she was already a known photographer when she met Picasso. Further, she was part of intellectuals against fascism in 1935 along with André Breton, Georges Bataille.

If you have an impecable taste in Art- Renaissance Combined with Realism- Maestro - Pietro Annigoni (1910 - 1988)

Self Portrait - Pietro Annigoni - Painter born in Florence, Italy

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"I am convinced that the works of today's avant-garde are the poisoned fruit of a spiritual decadence, with all the consequences that arise from a tragic loss of love for life."

- Pietro Annigoni

St. Jerome - Painted in 1950

Portrait - Study of Eva

Many consider Picasso and Balthus to be the greatast Painters of the last Century.......Have we forgotten Pietro Annigoni???

Portrait - Rossella

Simplicity, Refinement, A world behind those half closed eyes, A mind far beyond the common mans comprehension - Nobel thoughts..........of Harmony......