Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (1889–1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, film director, visual artist, and critic. Born in Maisons-Laffitte, Cocteau's life was marked by tragedy, including his father's suicide when he was just nine years old. A prominent figure in the surrealist, avant-garde, and Dadaist movements, Cocteau left an indelible mark on early 20th-century art. His artistic expression spanned poems, novels, plays, essays, drawings, and films, all under the umbrella of "poésie".