Secrets of Beauty

by Jean Cocteau

A towering figure in the worlds of literature, cinema, and visual art, Jean Cocteau was one of the most influential creative artists of the twentieth century. In this collection of brief―often aphoristic―meditations, he reflects on the nature of beauty itself. Ranging over painters, poets, and musicians, Cocteau offers brilliant insights into the essential loneliness of the artistic vocation. As well as throwing new light on the author’s own creative achievement, Secrets of Beauty is a vital contribution to aesthetic theory

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction

44 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2013

About the author

Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, boxing manager, playwright and filmmaker. Along with other Surrealists of his generation (Jean Anouilh and René Char for example) Cocteau grappled with the "algebra" of verbal codes old and new, mise en scène language and technologies of modernism to create a paradox: a classical avant-garde. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Colette, Édith Piaf, whom he cast in one of his one act plays entitled Le Bel Indifferent in 1940, and Raymond Radiguet.

His work was played out in the theatrical world of the Grands Theatres, the Boulevards and beyond during the Parisian epoque he both lived through and helped define and create. His versatile, unconventional approach and enormous output brought him international acclaim.

Reviews

[Yecronopia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanta la traducción que se ha hecho de esta belleza. El prólogo es de una sutileza tal que es un poema de arte. El libro comprende una suerte de juego interno en el cuál se puede vislumbrar la vida del autor por medio de frases y fotografías. Traducir y encuadrar un personaje como Cocteau que no pasa desapercibido es todo un desafío realmente logrado.

[Sofia Bagdade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cynical yet somehow impossibly bright reflection on poetry … poetry as “a thinking jewel,” “a piano without pedals,” a breathing sea plant.” I liked how this read like stepping into the dark recesses of a cycling mind

Personal favorite;
“Poetry works like lightning. Lightning strips a Shepard bare and carries his clothes several miles away. It imprints on a ploughman’s shoulder and the photograph of a young girl. It can obliterate a wall and leave a tulle curtain untouched…it creates unusual things”

[Laura Janeiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

IMPORTANTE: leer la reseña si se guían por las estrellas de la puntuación

El libro tiene dos partes. Primera parte (autoría de Jean Cocteau): 1 estrella.
Pequeñas frases que suponen un momento en la mente de Jean Cocteau, y que no merecen mayor atención. Podría haberme salteado esta parte sin arrepentimientos, si no interfiriera con mi trastorno obsesivo compulsivo lector.

Pero...

La introducción de Christian Kupchik le agrega una estrella
y la entrevista con William Fifield le agregó otra
y suma mucho la incorporación de dibujos de Cocteau
y lo bueno, si breve, dos veces bueno (otra estrella)
Resultado: 5 estrellas!!!

[stefania · Rating 5 out of 5]

“now is the time to cling to life and to believe in it. there’s so much to laugh about! the time has come to live - a little.”

[Lucio Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es difícil clasificar este libro, pero es realmente precioso.

[kate]

honestly this was clouded by greek unseens test anxiety 😭 sorry jean

[☆ Annie ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not by writing the word 'table' that one talks about a table. It is not by writing the word 'tree' that one talks about a tree; it is not by writing the word 'love' that one talks about love.

&

She said exactly what she wanted to say. Poetry was within her, and it expressed itself'

&

Journey's end.
This is the crisp early morning, with its bells, its roosters, its coughs, its growing beard. Now is the time to cling to life and to believe in it. There's so much to laugh about! The time has come to live -- a little.

Too beautiful, too honest, too real, too necessary; this was everything I was hoping it would be, and a little bit more. Just like a dream.

[Nova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting concept but felt too martyr like for me. Separating art from artist (obviously Jean Concteau is very highly regarded in the avant garde world…), this book just didn’t resonate well for me.

The book expresses the idea that creatives must extend themselves to the end- to put one foot in death and one foot in life- is to be contrived with the curse of being a poet. It feels too ego-centric for me- the idea that a poet is always at its wits ends with God, must hate himself and only then will he produce art. I dont necessarily agree with this idea haha but I do understand why creatives feel the need to be… heroic, or at least in servitude to balancing reality and the dream world constantly.

[Milu Chahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es perfecto en todo sentido, la estructura en la que está editado, la selección de fotos, la poesía, todo es maravilloso. Esta editorial es una locura, cada vez que leo uno de sus libros pienso e cuidado que tiene detrás. Se nota la mano de su editor Cristian Kupchik en ese cuidado y amor, quien lo haya escuchado hablar de literatura lo sabe bien. Y quien no, es un buen momento para hacerlo.

[Iñäqui Ilarragorri · Rating 4 out of 5]

me encontré al editor y traductor en una feria, personaje encantador y un placer de leer, los aforismos estab buenos pero son aforismos al fin, ahora quiero reencarnar en paris a principios de siglo y salir a jugar con stravinsky y chanel como jean

[Micha · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s like someone just compiled whatever Cocteau quote that had poet poem or Picasso in it.

Love Cocteau and there were many good excerpts but I wish it had included other topics surrounding beauty as the title and introduction imply.

The quotes were well enchaînés but just too repetitive.

[Literatura y libertad · Rating 3 out of 5]

No me gustó tanto.

[Serafina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quel magnifique ouvrage…

[maddy]

i love cynical + delusional men! what can i say.

[zozo · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you think Cocteau and Kant would discuss when sat at the same table, how are their politics of beauty different or the same? Something my BSc student self would have loved to think about three years ago and happy to have inspired me today.

The art and the practice of poetry and writing is a passion that I push aside or neglect when my thoughts become too crowded, yet these passages reminded me it is the exercise, the journey, that makes our writing persevere. It has a quality that makes me return to Lispector’s Agua Viva (my holy Bible). I wish I had a photographic memory to keep some of my annotations engraved in my mind. Fortunately, I had a pencil near to frame, underline, circle, star, and heart. I will return to this beautifully composed booklet of mediations. Now, on to watch Cocteau’s films.

[Emily Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of stressful to keep up with even though it’s a short and light poetry book