This drawing accompanies an autograph letter addressed to Maurice Delamain (his publisher) dated December 11, 1956:

“These four lines to tell you that only this confusing time is guilty when I don't see who I would like to see. Either I am on the side or under the vault of my chapel [the Saint-Pierre chapel in Villefranche-sur-Mer, which he decorated], or else in this Paris drowned in bronchitis and difficulties with vehicles. So many people have asked me for this Orpheus that I am happy with your reissue and that you like the drawing. One could not imagine a gang reporting this, since booksellers are so busy not to sell and to hide books...”

Created in 1926 by Jean Cocteau, the tragedy “Orphée” was published in 1956 by Delamain and republished in 1957.