COCTEAU Jean (1889-1963)

La machine infernale, autograph manuscripts. -La machine infernale, autograph manuscript, 1932; 90 sheets in folio and 63 sheets in 2 hardback notebooks in folio; in a cloth-backed folder with a title in coloured pencils by Serge Lifar. Precious first draft manuscript of this famous play in four acts, a masterpiece in which Cocteau gives his vision of the myth of Oedipus. It is the only existing manuscript, the clean manuscript would have been destroyed by Marie- Laure de Noailles in a jealousy crisis at the time of Cocteau's affair with Natalie Paley. This Lifar manuscript remained unknown to the editors of the Théâtre complet in the Bibliothèque de la Pléiade. After having written a "free adaptation after Sophocles" of OEdipe-Roi (1925, published in 1928) and the libretto of OEdipes Rex for Stravinsky (1927), Cocteau wrote this play in four acts between 1930 and 1932, which was staged by Louis Jouvet at the Comédie des Champs-Élysées on April 10th 1934, with sets and costumes by Christian Bérard, with Jean-Pierre Aumont in the role of OEdipe; it was published the same year by Grasset. This manuscript is dated at the end: "[Paris biff é] Chablis 1930/St Mandrier 1932", and on the cover of the last book "fi ni le 18 Août 1932". It is abundantly crossed out and corrected, and presents important variants with the final text. Acts I and II (incomplete) are not titled here. This manuscript does not include the interventions of "La Voix", which Cocteau later decided to add, and later recorded on disc to be played during the performance. [Act I. The Phantom]. 78 leaves (28,5 x 22 cm) written on the front side on 3 different types of paper, of which 34 are on Japanese paper (1-20, 61-67, 72-78) and 4 on grey drawing paper (68-71), the last double leaf serving as a folder. The first 20 leaves are written in black ink, the following ones in pencil; leaf 21 and the beginning of the next one (marked a and b) are in the hand of Jean Desbordes. Tiresias is often called "Zizi". [Act II. The meeting of Oedipus and the Sphinx. 13 pages on 12 sheets, in black ink. This 2nd act is incomplete; the beginning is missing; the manuscript begins with the didascalia preceding the arrival of the Matron: "the S. spoke while lowering his head. During his sentence Anubis pricked up his ears" ... Act III. The wedding night. Blue notebook (30 x 19,5 cm) of 42 sheets (71 pages) written in black ink, the first sheet bearing the title. From about half of the notebook, the leaves are written on both sides. Many erasures, corrections and additions, some in pencil. The description of the setting is much longer and more detailed than in the edition. [Act IV]. "Epilogue. Oedipus-King (17 years later)" Orange notebook (30 x 19.5 cm, label of the Librairie Montbarbon in Toulon) of 21 leaves, of which only one is double-sided. A label on the cover reads: "OEdipe et le Sphinx / Epilogue / fi ni le 18 août 1932". PROVENANCE Collection Serge Lifar -La machine infernale, 5 autograph manuscripts, one partly autograph manuscript, and one typescript with autograph annotations, La Machine infernale, [1932]; 12 pages of various sizes, and one in-4 (27 x 21 cm) paperback notebook of 65 leaves plus cover. Interesting set on the genesis of La Machine infernale. Tapuscript of Act I. The green cover is written by Cocteau in pencil and ink, with the primitive title: "Le mystère d'OEdipe et du Sphinx", and the subtitle: "Mystère en trois actes et un Épilogue"; both have been crossed out and replaced by: "The Infernal Machine (or Life of Oedipus) mystery in four acts". At the top right, this autograph letter to Charles de Noailles: "Charles, forgive me for sending you this mess - but it comes from the heart your Jean". At the head of the typescript, Cocteau has added in pencil the title of the act: "Le Fantôme", and this note: "Où j'ai écrit : Zizi en personnage capitales - remettre Tirésias". Numerous corrections and additions in black ink by Jean Desbordes. Drawing with autograph notes, in black ink (21 x 27 cm), depicting the "first day's setting" and Oedipus' encounter with the Sphinx, with the title "La belle et la bête Mystère en 2 parties"; two small sketches in the margins for the device of the Sphinx, and the head of Oedipus; and various notes. Autograph manuscript of the epigraph (1 page in-4): Cocteau has recopied Baudelaire's text. Autograph draft of the Dedication (3 pages in-4) to Charles and Marie- Laure de Noailles, heavily crossed out and corrected. Cocteau discusses his work with Christian Bérard (the signature of both their names has been crossed out). Partially autograph manuscript of the Prologue (3 pages and a quarter in-4, right edge a bit frayed), in the hand of Jean Desbordes with autograph corrections and additions by Cocteau, who notably wrote the title of the book.