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The ultimate politeness in art consists of speaking only to those who are able to uncover and measure its relationships. Anything else is symbolic, and symbolism is merely transcendental imagery.

— Jean Cocteau Diary of an Unknown (1988)

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More quotes by Jean Cocteau

You’ve never seen death? Look in the mirror every day and you will see it like bees working in a glass hive.

True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing.

Le Mystère Laïc (1928)

An artist cannot speak about his art any more than a plant can discuss horticulture.

I have a piece of great and sad news to tell you: I am dead.

A film is a petrified fountain of thought.

All Jean Cocteau quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Jean Cocteau (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.