Born 5 July 1889 – Died 11 October 1963

Jean Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, playwright, artist, and filmmaker who basically did everything and did it well. He's best known for the novel Les Enfants Terribles (1929) and three landmark films: The Blood of a Poet (1930), Beauty and the Beast (1946), and Orpheus (1949). His restless creativity across multiple mediums—constantly shifting between writing, visual art, and cinema—made him a defining figure of the avant-garde and gave him enormous influence on the artists around him.

Cocteau moved in remarkable circles. His circle included Picasso, Erik Satie, Jean Marais, Marcel Proust, Marlene Dietrich, Guillaume Apollinaire, and Raymond Radiguet, among others. He had close relationships with many of these figures, and his ideas shaped the work of composers known as Les Six. His unconventional approach to art and his prolific output across so many different forms brought him international recognition that lasted throughout his life.