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Jean COCTEAU

Framed ‘Nappe de Restaurant’ Tablecloth

£1,500

A rare and highly collectible framed paper tablecloth fragment by Jean Cocteau, created in 1947. This exceptional piece was exhibited that same year at the Paul Morihien Gallery at the Palais-Royal in Paris, as part of the famous “Exposition de Nappes de Restaurant”. Cocteau utilized paper tablecloths cut and drawn on during intimate meals with cultural figures like Picasso, Giacometti, and Dora Maar. This fragment is a poignant example of Cocteau’s ability to turn the ephemeral into art

I am utterly drawn to this object’s direct link to the emotional and intellectual spirit of Postwar Paris. This small fragment carries an enormous emotional charge, representing the invisible conversations and creative sparks shared by giants of 20th-century culture. We see this as the ultimate Mementos & Curiosities item—a framed piece of intimate history. It celebrates Cocteau’s creative spontaneity and is a direct testament to the idea of art being found in the most humble and ephemeral of objects.

Artist: Jean Cocteau (1889–1963)
Medium: Drawing/Cutting on Paper Tablecloth
Year Created: 1947 Exhibition
Provenance: Exposition de Nappes de Restaurant, Paul Morihien Gallery, 1947
Materials: Framed Paper under glass Dimensions (Fragment): 16 cm x 16 cm
Condition: Excellent, professionally framed.