Carzou later created his name from the first syllables of his name and surname, and added a Parisian nickname, "Jean".

[1] He started working as a theater decorator but quickly realized he preferred drawing and painting.

[citation needed] In 1952, he created costumes and sceneries for Les Indes Galantes of Rameau at the Opéra de Paris.

He continued with Le Loup (1953) for "Les Ballets" of Roland Petit, Giselle (1954) and Athalie (1955) at the Opéra and "La Comédie française".

Carzou was elected a member of the Institut de France, Académie des beaux-arts, succeeding in the seat left vacant by the death of painter Jean Bouchaud in 1977.