The Juggler’s Revenge

Jean Cocteau at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection

Peggy Guggenheim Collection curator Grażina Subelyte met us for a guided visit of "Jean Cocteau: The Juggler’s Revenge," the most extensive retrospective ever in Italy dedicated to the artist. 

The exhibition underscores Cocteau’s multifaceted talent, which often drew criticism for its diverse nature. It focuses on his work as a draftsman, graphic artist, muralist, fashion, jewelry, and textile designer, and filmmaker. His versatility and innovation earned him the description of a modern "Renaissance man," leaving a significant impact on twentieth-century art.

Connected with prominent figures such as Josephine Baker, Coco Chanel, Sergei Diaghilev, Edith Piaf, Pablo Picasso, and Tristan Tzara, Cocteau was both a member of the French establishment and a subversive force within it. His open homosexuality and opium addiction placed him in a precarious position within the avant-garde, embodying the cultural, social, and political contradictions of his era.