This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed in 1962 for the first Japanese release of Testament of Orpheus (French: Le testament d’Orphée), Jean Cocteau’s final film and a visionary, self-reflexive work in which Cocteau directs, writes, and stars as a poet moving through dream logic, myth, and cinematic illusion. A cornerstone title for collectors of French avant-garde cinema, it stands as Cocteau’s bold late-career summation—part autobiography, part philosophical riddle, part visual poem.
Design
A superb, minimalist art-poster design dominated by Cocteau’s own handwritten French title “La testament d’Orphée” and “un film de Jean Cocteau”, paired with a striking line-drawn profile rendered in playful, modernist colour—pure Cocteau iconography in poster form. The Japanese title 「オルフェの遺言」 anchors the lower field over a deep black band with cast and credits, while the TOWA distribution mark confirms its Japanese theatrical campaign context. Elegant, graphic, and unmistakably Cocteau—one of the most displayable Japanese sheets for European art cinema of the era.
Condition
Excellent. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale.
This poster is an original Japanese theatrical B2 from the 1962 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is over 63 years old!
Certificate of Authenticity included.
