Jean Cocteau

1963, My dear Iran Darroudi

I think I am among a few of those who don’t fear of being lost in the intricate halls in which numerous painters are hopefully looking for “Miniature”. The painter, knowingly or unknowingly, always paints his own portrait; for “figures of life” have nothing to do with “life of figures”. And this “life of figures” is developed other than portraying. The model was just a pretext and lack of it will lead the painter to its source which is not but that deep and hidden power inside us, and the painter is not bus the interpreter and summoning mediator.

I don’t know which powers your young painters are following, but if they follow the disobedience ones I agree with them and offer them my greetings from the bottom of my heart.