Vander Barbette was an American female impersonator and world renowned trapeze artist of the 1920's and 30's. In life and following his death, Barbette served as an inspiration to a number of artists including Jean Cocteau and Man Ray.
This book includes Cocteau's 1926 essay 'Le Numero Barbette', a New Yorker profile of Barbette by Francis Steegmuller, and Surrealist artist Man Ray's photographs of Barbette.