A Boy in Profile

1927–1935

Illustrations for his own books

From the 1920s he illustrated his own writings, building figurative form from minimal strokes: an illustrated edition of “Thomas l’imposteur” appeared in 1927, “Opium” and “Le Livre blanc” in 1930, and in 1935 a portfolio of 60 illustrations for “Les Enfants terribles.”

1928

Publishes “Le Livre blanc” anonymously

He published “Le Livre blanc,” a mildly homoerotic, semi-autobiographical novel, anonymously; he never repudiated its authorship, and a later edition features his foreword and drawings.

1929

The opium cure and the novel “Les Enfants terribles”

During a strenuous opium cure he wrote “Les Enfants terribles” in a week and kept the illustrated diary “Opium: Diary of a Cure”; he was supported by his friend the Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain, under whose influence he briefly returned to the sacraments of the Church.

1930s

A round-the-world reportage for Paris-Soir

He made a journey around the world and reported on it for the newspaper Paris-Soir in “Mon premier voyage: Tour du monde en 80 jours,” a neo-Jules Verne travel reportage.

1932–1934

Living with Princess Natalia Paley

He lived with the Russian actress Princess Natalia Paley; rumours spoke of an affair, but Paley’s biographers regard the relationship as purely platonic.