Mary Reynolds Collection
<p>Mary Reynolds (1891–1950), an American expatriate in pre-World War II Paris, befriended and supported many contemporary artists, including Marcel Duchamp, Jean Cocteau, Raymond Queneau, Max Ernst, and Man Ray. She was also Marcel Duchamp’s companion from 1923 until her death. This collection includes letters from Duchamp and Alexander Calder, photographs of Reynolds and her Parisian friends, and government documents recording her activity in the French Resistance. It also includes acquisition documents concerning the livres d’artiste collection of Surrealist book bindings by Reynolds and other Surrealist publications now housed in the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries. The Duchamp material covers a private aspect of his life not well represented in other collections. A special issue of the Art Institute’s Museum Studies journal titled “Mary Reynolds and the Spirit of Surrealism” (Vol. 22, No. 2, 1996) and a website about the Reynolds book binding collection provide additional information about Reynolds and her interest in Dada, surrealism, and livres d’artiste.</p> <p><a href="http://digital-libraries.artic.edu/cdm/search/collection/findingaids/searchterm/Reynolds,%20Mary,%20Collection/field/title/mode/all/conn/and/cosuppress/1">View finding aid.</a><br><a href="http://digital-libraries.artic.edu/cdm/search/collection/mqc/searchterm/Reynolds,%20Mary,%20Collection/field/subcol/mode/all/conn/and/cosuppress/1">View selected images from this collection.</a><br><a href="https://www.artic.edu/reynolds/">Detailed website.</a></p> <p>Collection access:<br>Collections may be accessed in the Franke Reading Room of the Research Center at The Art Institute of Chicago, by appointment only. For further information, consult <a href="https://www.artic.edu/archival-collections/contact-usage-and-faq">the FAQ</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.artic.edu/archival-collections/finding-aids">Finding aids by subject</a><br><a href="http://digital-libraries.saic.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/findingaids">Browse all finding aids</a><br><a href="http://digital-libraries.saic.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/mqc">Browse images and media</a><br><a href="https://www.artic.edu/archival-collections/oral-histories">Oral histories</a></p> <p>Contact the Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives:<br>archives@artic.edu</p>
Catalogue
- Year
- 1892
- Dimensions
- 9 boxes and 2 portfolios: W.: 106.7 cm (42 in.)
- Collection
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Artist
- Mary Reynolds
Artist
Textile
Mary Reynolds was an American artist and bookbinder active in Paris during the mid-twentieth century. Working primarily in hand-bound volumes and paper arts, she developed a distinctive practice that merged fine art with the craft tradition of bookbinding. Her work bridged Surrealist circles and the material culture of the book object itself. This profile will be expanded as more verified source material becomes available.
Full artist profile →More
More by Mary Reynolds
Saint Glinglin: précédé d'une nouvelle version de Gueule de Pierre et des Temps mêlés: Roman (Saint Glinglin: Preceded by a New Version of Stone Mouth and Mingled Time)
1949 · Full green morocco binding; horizontal onlay across covers and spine; broken china teacup handle attached by onlay to spine; title stamped in gold on front cover; author stamped in gold on back cover; marbled endpapers; original paper covers bound in
Exercices de style
1947 · Quarter black calfskin binding with marbled paper; calfskin label on cover with title stamped in gold; author stamped in gold on spine; top edge colored; marbled endpapers; original paper covers bound in
Le Diable au corps: Roman
1947 · Chêneuarter vellum binding with green paper; morocco spine label with author and title stamped in gold; decorated endpapers; original paper covers bound in
Le Foyer des artistes
1947 · One-quarter vellum binding, sides covered with red paper speckled with gold stars; original paper covers bound in
Le surmâle: Roman moderne (Superman: A Modern Novel)
1945 · Full black morocco binding with onlay; metal corset stay attached to spine; title stamped in gold on spine; mauve endpapers printed with wire-mesh pattern; original paper covers bound in
Loin de Rueil (Skin of Dreams)
1944 · Full red morocco binding with raised bands; author and title stamped in gold on spine; endpapers of trial proofs for Marcel Duchamp's 1935 cover of Minotaure; original paper covers bound in
Record
Verified by Watts Index- Artist
- Mary Reynolds
- Year
- 1892
- Dimensions
- 9 boxes and 2 portfolios: W.: 106.7 cm (42 in.)
- Watts ID
- WW-1892-017733
Source
- Collection
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Source
- aic
- Reference
- View at source
- Status
- verified