Editioned artist multiple, Series D (1961); 'Duchamp's miniature museum' containing replicas of objects and printed reproductions of works in all media by the artist; three sliding panels, one wood stand; four three-dimensional objects; portfolio of folders (27 pages) inside inner compartment; outside light green linen, lining light green Ingres paper; box contains 68 items. No outer leather case (valise), as published.

%C2%A9 Succession Marcel Duchamp %2F ADAGP%2C Paris %2F Artists Rights Society %28ARS%29%2C New York 2017

Boîte-en-Valise (Box in a Valise) / De ou par Marcel Duchamp ou Rrose Sélavy (From or by Marcel Duchamp or Rrose Sélavy), conceived 1936-1941; assembled 1961

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Box in a Valise is essentially a miniature portable museum of the work of Marcel Duchamp. It consists of sixty-eight separate photographic reproductions and three-dimensional replicas of the artist’s most important works. Based on an idea Duchamp developed in 1936, the first boxes were assembled by Duchamp in 1941 and smuggled out of France during the Nazi occupation of that country. In an era of mass emigration and political terror, the idea of packing up all of one’s artworks in a suitcase would have seemed particularly practical.

Similar to a museum installation, each work has a label identifying its title, medium, date, and, in many cases, its owner. Here, Duchamp reflects on the very nature of art, self-consciously raising questions about authenticity, authorship, the aura of the unique object, and the authority of the museum as arbiter of taste and knowledge. Assembled in 1961, this copy of Box in a Valise is one of three hundred produced by Duchamp or his relatives between 1941 and 1971.

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Details
Title
Boîte-en-Valise (Box in a Valise) / De ou par Marcel Duchamp ou Rrose Sélavy (From or by Marcel Duchamp or Rrose Sélavy)
Artist Life
American (born France), 1887–1968
Role
Artist
Accession Number
97.20.2
Provenance
(Timothy Baum, New York); sold to MIA, 1997.
Catalogue Raisonne
Schwarz 484
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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Editioned artist multiple, Series D (1961); 'Duchamp's miniature museum' containing replicas of objects and printed reproductions of works in all media by the artist; three sliding panels, one wood stand; four three-dimensional objects; portfolio of folders (27 pages) inside inner compartment; outside light green linen, lining light green Ingres paper; box contains 68 items. No outer leather case (valise), as published.

© Succession Marcel Duchamp / ADAGP, Paris / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 2017

Because of © restrictions, we can only show you a small image of this artwork.