The only work of art which succeeds is that which fails. Jean Cocteau More Quotes by Jean Cocteau More Quotes From Jean Cocteau Look out! Be on your guard, because alone of all the arts, music moves all around you. Jean Cocteau looksartmoving Be a mere assistant to your unconscious. Do only half the work. The rest will do itself. Jean Cocteau unconsciousassistantshalf The speed of a runaway horse counts for nothing. Jean Cocteau horsewisdomsports One must be a living man and a posthumous artist. Jean Cocteau artistmenart Without resistance you can do nothing Jean Cocteau resistancecan-do The joy of youth is to disobey; but the trouble is that there are no longer any orders. Jean Cocteau youthjoyorder He has the manner of a giant with the look of a child, a lazy activeness, a mad wisdom, a solitude encompassing the world. Jean Cocteau madsolitudechildren The course of a river is almost always disapproved of by the source. Jean Cocteau sourceacceptancerivers The spirit of creation is the spirit of contradiction. It is the breakthrough of appearances toward an unknown reality. Jean Cocteau spiritwritingreality And history becomes legend and legend becomes history. Jean Cocteau legendshistory It was the East that should have sent us missionaries. Jean Cocteau eastshouldshould-have It seems to me that invisibility is the required provision of elegance. Elegance ceases to exist when it is noticed. Jean Cocteau invisibilityprovisionelegance Art produces ugly things which frequently become beautiful with time. Jean Cocteau fashionbeautifulart Artists can no more speak about their work, than plants can speak about horticulture. Jean Cocteau plantspeakartist Art is science made flesh. Jean Cocteau fleshscienceart One is either judge or accused. The judge sits, the accused stands. Live on your feet. Jean Cocteau accusedjudgingfeet Fight any instinct to be humorless, for humorlessness is the worst of all absurdities. Jean Cocteau instinctworstfighting The poet is at the disposal of the night. His role is humble, he must clean house and await its due visitation. Jean Cocteau humblehousenight The ability to laugh heartily is the sign of a healthy soul. Jean Cocteau healthysoullaughing The audience bursts into laughter. With the tragic gag I don't expect the audience to laugh (if they do, I have failed) but I expect a black silence from them that is almost as violent: as laughter. Jean Cocteau laughterblacksilence
