Ubu cocu, restitué en son intégrité tel qu'il a été représenté par les marionnettes du Théâtre des Phynances (Ubu Cocu: Restored to Its integrity as It was Presented by the Puppets of the Théâtre des Phynances)

Ryerson and Burnham Libraries Special Collections

Published 1944; rebound 1945-1950

Mary Reynolds (American, 1891-1950)
Written by Alfred Jarry (French, 1873-1907)

In this sequel to Alfred Jarry’s best-known play, <a href=”https://www.artic.edu/artworks/241626”Ubu roi, the beloved and bumbling king considers how to address his wife’s infidelity. Through a series of phallus-based puns and slapstick violence, King Ubu’s world comes alive. Mary Reynolds bound this version of the play and harnessed the story’s momentum through daring design choices.

From left to right, every element of the book cover spells out the title, Ubu cocu, which translates to “Ubu cuckold.” Reynolds nestled the title’s letters into the bright yellow C’s. The b of UbU appears lowercased, perhaps reflecting the theme of emasculation that runs throughout the story. The author’s name is also miniscule, nestled underneath the b at the bottom of the spine.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Ryerson and Burnham Libraries Special Collections

Artist: Mary Reynolds
Title: Ubu cocu, restitué en son intégrité tel qu'il a été représenté par les marionnettes du Théâtre des Phynances (Ubu Cocu: Restored to Its integrity as It was Presented by the Puppets of the Théâtre des Phynances)
Place: Paris (Object Possibly made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1944
Medium: Fill tan calfskin with leather-covered cutouts; goatskin onlays spelling Ubu and Cocu; gold stamping; gold speckled, yellow endpapers
Dimensions: 19 × 12.2 × 2.2 cm (7 1/2 × 4 13/16 × 7/8 in.)
Credit Line: Mary Reynolds Collection, Ryerson & Burnham Libraries
Reference Number: 2019.181

Caitlin Haskell, ed., with Tamar Kharatishvili and Alivé Piliado Santana, Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 2025), 80, fig. 80 (color ill.).

Art Institute of Chicago, Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds, Mar. 29–July 13, 2025, fig. 80.

The artist (1891–1950), Paris; by descent to her brother, Frank Brookes Hubachek (1894–1986), Chicago, and Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968), Paris, 1950; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1951–1955.

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Suggested Terms

Ubu cocu, restitué en son intégrité tel qu'il a été représenté par les marionnettes du Théâtre des Phynances (Ubu Cocu: Restored to Its integrity as It was Presented by the Puppets of the Théâtre des Phynances)

Currently Off View

Date:

Artist:

About this artwork

Status

Department

Artist

Title

Place

Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Medium

Dimensions

Credit Line

Reference Number

Extended information about this artwork

Publication History

Exhibition History

Provenance

Share

Explore Further

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Gallery actions

Image actions

Share