Man Ray; Jean Cocteau - Barbette - 1988

Barbette
Man Ray / Jean Cocteau

In 1926, the celebrated artist and photographer Man Ray captured the Texan acrobat and transformist Barbette (born Vander Clyde Broadway) in a series of portraits that became iconic. Commissioned by surrealist author Jean Cocteau, who regarded Barbette as a masterpiece of theatrical professionalism, the photographs document the meticulous transformation of the artist from man to trapeze diva.
Man Ray produced several shots showing Barbette while applying makeup, wearing wigs, or posing with corsets and feathers, highlighting his androgynous physique. Among the best-known images are Barbette Dressing (held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Barbette Making up, visible at the J. Paul Getty Museum.
These photographs are considered pioneering in the study of queer and gender identity, capturing the essence of an artist who bewitched 1920s Paris, performing in famous venues such as the Moulin Rouge and the Folies Bergère. The shots illustrated Cocteau's influential essay, "Le numéro Barbette," published in Nouvelle Revue Française in 1926.

Cocteau J., Ray M.; Barbette. Paperback with dust jacket, 17 x 24.5 cm, 47 pages, language Dutch; Amsterdam, De Woelrat, 1988, first edition.

The volume presents in overall fair condition. Cover without defects. The fragile softcover shows signs of aging; some pages are detached from the spine but none are missing. Inner pages clean with no creases or stains. A decent collectible copy.

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