Marcel Duchamp's Fountain: The Readymade That Revolutionized Art, and the Unsolved Mystery of Its Authorship
In 1917, Marcel Duchamp presented an inverted urinal, signed R. Mutt, at the Society of Independent Artists exhibition in New York, known as Fountain. The board concealed this readymade, leading to Duchamp's resignation. Although the original piece was lost, Duchamp sanctioned the creation of sixteen replicas that are now housed in prominent collections. Fountain has endured provocations, including incidents of urination by performance artist Pierre Pinoncelli in both 1993 and 2006, resulting in fines. The question of authorship remains contentious, with Duchamp referencing a female acquaintance, potentially Louise Norton or Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven, who made a similar work. Alfred Stieglitz's photograph from 1917 solidified its reputation as the first conceptual artwork, sparking ongoing discussions about the essence of art.
Key facts
- Marcel Duchamp submitted an overturned urinal titled Fountain to the Society of Independent Artists exhibition in 1917 under the pseudonym R. Mutt.
- The Society's board rejected and hid the work despite rules allowing all submissions; Duchamp resigned in protest.
- The original Fountain was lost after the exhibition; Duchamp authorized 16 replicas, now in museums and private collections.
- Pierre Pinoncelli attacked a Fountain replica in 1993 in Nîmes and again in 2006 at Centre Pompidou, Paris, claiming he increased its value.
- Authorship is disputed; Duchamp said he received the urinal from a female friend, possibly Louise Norton or Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven.
- Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven created a similar readymade, God (1917), an overturned plumbing trap.
- Alfred Stieglitz photographed Fountain in 1917, helping establish its iconic status.
- Fountain is considered the first conceptual artwork, emphasizing idea over physical execution.
Entities
Artists
- Marcel Duchamp
- Man Ray
- Walter Arensberg
- Pierre Pinoncelli
- Louise Norton
- Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven
- Alfred Stieglitz
- Giovanni Strazza
- Joseph Beuys
- Maurizio Cattelan
- Morton Schamberg
- Ann Temkin
- Matthew Affron
- Sidney Janis
- Daniel Arnold
Institutions
- Society of Independent Artists
- Tate
- Centre Pompidou
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Getty Museum
- Galerie Satellite
- Christie's
- Wikimedia Commons
- Newfoundland & Labrador Heritage
- Museum of Modern Art
- Association Marcel Duchamp
- ADAGP
- Artists Rights Society (ARS)
- The New York Times
Locations
- New York
- United States
- France
- Nîmes
- Paris
- London
- United Kingdom
- Stockholm
- Sweden