Marcel Duchamp - Evening Editions New York Wednesday, October 26, 2011 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Fred Hughes, New York

  • Literature

    Arturo Schwarz 615

  • Catalogue Essay


    Duchamp's 1919 adaption of a reproduction of Mona Lisa with added mustache and goatee and the letters "L.H.O.O.Q." is considered a seminal work of Dadaism and an icon of twentieth century art. Although he had 'retired' and was playing chess by the 1960s, his importance was acknowledged by artists, collectors and historians. For their consumption (and posterity) he granted permission to reproduce works from the teens that had not survived such asFountain, Hat Rack and In Advance of the Broken Arm.
    In this work he has revisited the Mona Lisa but with a funny twist --he shaved off his original statement and inscribed this edition 'rasée' (shaved).
    When the inscription is spoken aloud in French it recalls the vulgar phrase "Elle a chaud au cul"--"She has a hot ass"

3

L.H.O.O.Q. rasée (shaved)

1965
Readymade photographic reproduction in colors of the Mona Lisa (playing card), mounted to wove paper (as issued), with full margins,
I. 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 in. (8.9 x 6.4 cm.);
S. 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. (21.6 x 14 cm.)

signed and annotated `rasée' in ink, from the edition of approximately 100, prepared by Duchamp for the dinner given on January 13, 1965 on the occasion of the preview of Not Seen and/or Less Seen of/by Marcel Duchamp/Rrose Sélavy: The Mary Sisler Collection, Cordier & Ekstrom, New York, January 14-February 13, 1965, the sheet toned, reverse staining at upper sheet, minor surface soiling, otherwise in very good condition, framed.

Estimate
$25,000 - 35,000 

Sold for $60,000

Evening Editions

26 October 2011
New York