Jean Cocteau for Christofle Porcelain Plates, Pair, French Mid-Century Artist Design, 9.5" Cabinet Plates, 1950s

Poet, novelist, playwright, and the visionary filmmaker behind Beauty and the Beast and Orpheus, Jean Cocteau refused to confine his imagination to a single art form. In 1957 he discovered ceramics at a small workshop in Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, where he went on to create more than 300 pieces decorated with angels, harlequins, and figures from Greek myth. His fluid, spare line translated beautifully to the table, and these two plates pair his artistry with Christofle, the Parisian house founded in 1830 whose name has long been synonymous with French luxury tableware. The drawings capture the dreamlike elegance that makes Cocteau's work instantly recognizable. The pair makes a striking display on a wall or plate stand, or an artful setting for a special dessert course.

Dimensions: 9.5" Dia