Lot n° 152
Estimation :
20000 - 30000
EUR
Result with fees
Result
: 19 538EUR
DUCHAMP Marcel. SELF-PORTRAIT IN PROFILE, 1959. - Lot 152
DUCHAMP Marcel. SELF-PORTRAIT IN PROFILE, 1959.
Cut on film, autograph signature "Marcel déchiravit" on a piece of paper
piece of paper mounted with scotch tape; framed.
368 x 500 mm
In 1959, at La Hune, Marcel Duchamp held his first solo exhibition in France.
Marcel Duchamp in France, to coincide with the publication of Robert Lebel's monograph
of Robert Lebel's monograph Sur Marcel Duchamp, published by Trianon. We know from the correspondence between Robert Lebel and Marcel Duchamp that the latter, staying in Cadaquès, was persuaded to sign a certain number of copies of the screen-printed poster planned for the occasion: "Affiches OK - but how do you sign them without running the risk of losing them all in the Spanish mail? Naturally, it's very simple if my signature can be postponed until July 1. In any case, I'm waiting for the approval proof."
(Letter from Marcel Duchamp to Robert Lebel, April 15, 1959, The artist and his
critic stripped bare: the correspondence of Marcel Duchamp and Robert Lebel,
Getty Research Institute, 2016, p.197).
The poster reproduced the torn paper entitled Autoportrait de profil - Marcel
Dechiravit, first created in March 1957, of which 138 copies were made in
were produced in February 1958 for inclusion in the deluxe copies
of Robert Lebel's book.
In addition to the original poster, which was never signed, four variants of the silkscreen were produced, in red or blue, with or without the artist's name.
the artist's name. The day before the opening, Duchamp went to Perpignan to sign the first proofs
the first proofs (probably the blue-background copies signed Marcel Duchamp La Hune 1959), which were immediately sent back to Paris: "I'm not answering all your
I'm not answering all your letters, but I'm sending the name of a hotel in Perpignan
hotel in Perpignan where Teeny and I will go on a pilgrimage to sign the posters as soon as their
their departure from Paris is reported to me by you (by telegram to Cadaquès)."
(Letter from Marcel Duchamp to Robert Lebel, April 26, 1959, idem, p. 201).
On the morning of May 4, the day of the press cocktail and the eve of the
vernissage, a famous telegram from Perpignan arrived at La Hune, announcing the
the shipment of signed copies, but also the protagonist's absence from Paris:
"Fais sous moi / Marcel Duchamp" (collection Jean-Jacques Lebel).
A week after the opening, Marcel Duchamp, still in Cadaquès, decided to
I hope the posters have arrived and all sold. I'd like to have your opinion, in the clear, from La Hune!"
(Letter from Marcel Duchamp to Robert Lebel, May 12, 1959, ibidem, p. 201).
The model we propose here takes the form of a transparent silkscreen film
The top layer of red, occulting film has been cut away to expose the final typeface. Approximately 10 mm behind the final cut, a preparatory mark is visible. A piece of white paper, bearing Marcel Duchamp's signature "Marcel Déchiravit", was attached to the transparent gelatin layer with three pieces of scotch tape.
This work has been registered in the archives of the Association Marcel Duchamp.
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