Illustration for Jean Genet’s 'Querelle de Brest' 1947

This is a pen and ink drawing by Jean Cocteau, created in 1947. The drawing is an illustration for Jean Genet’s 'Querelle de Brest', a novel about a sailor who is a criminal and homosexual. Cocteau's simple lines, showing a nude male figure, are characteristic of his style of drawing, which often depicted the body in an abstract way. This illustration perfectly captures the themes of the book, which explores the complex nature of sexuality and the darkness of human nature. It is an example of Cocteau's work in both literary illustration and artistic expression.