Jacques Henric on Discovering Pierre Jean Jouve and the Eternal Scene of Eros
In a personal essay, Jacques Henric shares his experience of finding Pierre Jean Jouve's novel "Hécate" in a Paris bookstore in 1963, which sparked a lasting fascination with Jouve's literature. He explores how Jouve, alongside Bataille, Klossowski, and Lacan, shaped his perception of "knowledge through the erotic," intertwining themes of Eros, mysticism, and the Catholic theology of evil. Henric reflects on his interactions with Jouve's circle, including painter Joseph Sima and actor Alain Cuny, depicting Jouve as authoritarian and megalomaniacal, which led to tensions with friends like Jean Paulhan. The letters exchanged between Jouve and Paulhan (1925–1961), published by Éditions Claire Paulhan, feature only Jouve's correspondence. Henric contrasts Jouve with André Breton and notes Jouve's unpublished works "Les Beaux Masques." Muriel Pic's edition of the letters provides insights into Jouve's life and contributions.
Key facts
- Jacques Henric discovered Pierre Jean Jouve's 'Hécate' in a Paris bookstore in 1963.
- Henric's reading of Jouve, Bataille, Klossowski, and Lacan shaped his understanding of 'knowledge through the erotic'.
- Henric's essay 'La Peinture et le mal' and art press's focus on pornography and theology were influenced by these readings.
- Henric befriended painter Joseph Sima, who was close to Jouve in the 1920s.
- Jouve's correspondence with Jean Paulhan (1925–1961) is published by Éditions Claire Paulhan, containing only Jouve's letters.
- Jouve destroyed most of Paulhan's letters, keeping only a few he deemed flattering.
- Jouve was authoritarian, anxious, jealous, and megalomaniacal, leading to many broken friendships.
- Jouve's intransigence isolated him but protected him from literary compromises.
- Jouve's interests included music, mysticism, Catholic liturgy, and prostitution, contrasting with Surrealism.
- Jouve wrote unpublished obscene texts 'Les Beaux Masques' during a painful period.
- Muriel Pic edited the letters and wrote 'Le Désir monstre. Poétique de Pierre Jean Jouve' with a preface by Jacques Le Brun.
Entities
Artists
- Jacques Henric
- Pierre Jean Jouve
- Joseph Sima
- Alain Cuny
- Georges Bataille
- Pierre Klossowski
- Jacques Lacan
- André Breton
- Jean Paulhan
- Muriel Pic
- Jacques Le Brun
- Charles Baudelaire
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Alban Berg
- Béla Bartók
- Charles Meryon
- Eugène Delacroix
- Gustave Courbet
- Søren Kierkegaard
- Roger-Gilbert Lecomte
- René Daumal
- Jean de la Croix
Institutions
- Éditions Claire Paulhan
- Éditions Le Félin
- art press
- Les Lettres françaises
Locations
- Paris
- France
Sources
- artpress —