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Marcel Duchamp

French, 1887-1968

Marcel Duchamp was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. His output influenced the development of post-World War I Western art. Duchamp advised modern art collectors such as Peggy Guggenheim and other prominent figures, thereby helping to shape the tastes of Western art during this period.

A playful man, Duchamp challenged conventional thought about artistic processes and art marketing, not so much by writing but through subversive actions such as dubbing a urinal "art" and naming it Fountain. He produced relatively few artworks, while moving quickly through the avant-garde circles of his time.

“All in all, the creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external world by deciphering and interpreting its inner qualifications and thus adds his contribution to the creative act,” said Duchamp.

Born on July 28, 1887, in Blainville, brother of the artist Raymond Duchamp-Villon and the painter Jacques Villon, Duchamp began to paint in 1908. After producing several canvases in the current mode of Fauvism, he turned toward experimentation and the avant-garde, producing his most famous work, Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2) in 1912. Portraying continuous movement through a chain of overlapping Cubistic figures, the painting caused a furor at New York City's famous “Armory Show” in 1913.

Duchamp painted very little after 1915, although he continued until 1923 to work on his masterpiece, The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even, an abstract work, also known as The Large Glasscomposed in oil and wire on glass — that was enthusiastically received by the Surrealists.

In sculpture, Duchamp pioneered two of the main innovations of the 20th-century kinetic art and ready-made art. His "ready-mades" consisted simply of everyday objects, such as a urinal and a bottle rack. His Bicycle Wheel, an early example of kinetic art, was mounted on a kitchen stool.

After his short creative period, Duchamp was content to let others develop the themes he had originated; his pervasive influence was crucial to the development of Surrealism, Dada and Pop art.

Duchamp became an American citizen in 1955. He died in Paris on October 1, 1968.

Find a collection of authentic Marcel Duchamp prints, photography and other art on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by David Barnett Gallery)

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$5,949
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Marcel Duchamp Escargot Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
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Marcel Duchamp Escargot Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
Marcel Duchamp Escargot Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
No Reserve
H 12.41 in W 12.41 in D 1.58 in
Marcel Duchamp Escargot Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
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Marcel Duchamp Rotorelief, 1987 Konig Series 133. Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (French 28 July 1887–2 October 1968) was a French, naturalized Amer...
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Marcel Duchamp Escargot Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
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No Reserve
H 12.41 in W 12.41 in D 1.58 in
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Marcel Duchamp Corolles Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
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Marcel Duchamp Cage Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
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Marcel Duchamp Rotoreliefs, 1987 Konig Series 133. Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (French 28 July 1887–2 October 1968) was a French, naturalized American painter, sculptor, chess pla...
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Marcel Duchamp Cage Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
Marcel Duchamp Cage Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
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Marcel Duchamp Lanterne Chinoise Rotorelief Konig Series 133, 1987
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Marcel Duchamp Spirale Blanche Rotorelief Framed in Yellow, 1987
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Enter the world of Marcel Duchamp's Rotorelief, a captivating piece from the 1987 Konig Series 133, elegantly framed in high-quality yellow. This particular Rotorelief, aptly named S...
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Marcel Duchamp furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Marcel Duchamp furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of paper and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Marcel Duchamp furniture, although orange editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Marcel Duchamp were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Bernard Buffet, Marc Chagall, and René Gruau. Prices for Marcel Duchamp furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,232 and can go as high as $25,086, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,345.

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