Biographer James S. Williams describes Cocteau's politics as "naturally Right-leaning."[9] During the Nazi occupation of France, Cocteau's friend Arno Breker convinced him that Adolf Hitler was a pacifist and patron of the arts with France's best interests in mind. In his diary, Cocteau accused France of disrespect towards Hitler and speculated on the Führer's sexuality. Cocteau effusively praised Breker's sculptures in an article entitled 'Salut à Breker' published in 1942. This piece caused him to be arraigned on charges of collaboration after the war, though he was cleared of any wrongdoing and had used his contacts to his failed attempt to save friends such as Max Jacob.[10]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Cocteau#Later_years
https://youtu.be/n9y2a7mgWNE
He never really caught on with me completely despite once owning a Japan LP and a CD collaborating with Fripp. But thanks.
Meanwhile, here are Dali's "blemishes" in the same vein:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Dal%C3%AD#Politics_and_personality
Since 2003, the word “blemish” triggers that song and that record.
Aside from the fact that I’ve not read the link yet, I think some people just liked the aesthetics of fascists. Read that fact not long ago about David Bowie’s mother, Margaret Mary “Peg” Jones. She apparently praised the gear of Oswald Mosley’s cult, the Blackshirts. Not saying that is or isn’t the case with Jean Cocteau but if it was the case it wouldn’t surprise me. Some people were of the go-along-to-get-along mindset and became card-carrying fascists but were apolitical at heart. There have been people who tried to tell me that fascist symbolism and messages are to be found all throughout Cocteau’s work but what these people forget is that both Cocteau and fascists were aware of — and made use of — occult symbolism.
"aesthetics of fascists"
Hitler, the failed artist.
"There have been people who tried to tell me that fascist symbolism and messages are to be found all throughout Cocteau’s work..."
Hm. I never detected any.
The beloved Volkswagen, the design of which has been credited to Hitler, the amazing architecture of Albert Speer, the smart outfits of Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts are all impressive (if one can separate them from fascism) but I like to think that if I’d been around at that time of these I would’ve remained unimpressed by fascism. Tangentially, I was shocked to learn that Hitler requested of Bayer the creation of a drug that’d make the users feel heroic and that’s how heroin was born.
Stravinsky:
In 1930, he remarked, "I don't believe that anyone venerates Mussolini more than I ... I know many exalted personages, and my artist's mind does not shrink from political and social issues. Well, after having seen so many events and so many more or less representative men, I have an overpowering urge to render homage to your Duce. He is the saviour of Italy and – let us hope – Europe". Later, after a private audience with Mussolini, he added, "Unless my ears deceive me, the voice of Rome is the voice of Il Duce. I told him that I felt like a fascist myself... In spite of being extremely busy, Mussolini did me the great honour of conversing with me for three-quarters of an hour. We talked about music, art and politics".[112] When the Nazis placed Stravinsky's works on the list of "Entartete Musik", he lodged a formal appeal to establish his Russian genealogy and declared, "I loathe all communism, Marxism, the execrable Soviet monster, and also all liberalism, democratism, atheism, etc."
Upon relocating to America in the 1940s, Stravinsky again embraced the liberalism of his youth, remarking that Europeans "can have their generalissimos and Führers. Leave me Mr. Truman and I'm satisfied."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Stravinsky#Personality
It must be something to do with these artists’ rich patrons and what their rich patrons’ view of the world was. Exclusivity and exclusive clubs don’t necessarily have to advocate fascism but it’s not surprising when they do. Marxism too came about through boys born of privilege forming exclusive clubs, reading and talking amongst themselves.
I believe Stalin didn't care for the Picasso portrait.
Yes it’s a degenerate mustache certainly. In keeping with CCCP propaganda it is very printable and reproducible aside from that comedic ‘tache. Probably not angular and strength-projecting enough for CCCP propaganda. Wonder Stalin thought Picasso could create that type of strong-man comic-book style.