Warhol’s Duchamp

a duchamp print of his 1912 cubist painting nude descending a staircase, a rippling cascade of light tan geometric shapes against a darker ground, has a 5 centime stamp on the bottom, which duchamp signed. it is floated in a thin maple frame. selling at christie's nyc
Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2, Dec. 1937, pochoir on collotype with stamp, 13 7/8 x 7 7/8 in. including the signed stamp, which is absolutely part of the work, not a margin, via Christie’s

Warhol bought this 1937 print edition of Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 from Duchamp’s estate, and in 2000, someone bought it from Warhol’s foundation. Now they’re selling it.

Duchamp began with Nude Descending a Staircase to make hand-colored prints of his earlier paintings for inclusion in the retrospective album project he was working on, which became la Bôite-en-Valise. It’s not clear how many loosies like this he made, but I expect Warhol only bought the one.

21 Oct 2026, Lot 36: After [?] Marcel Duchamp, Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2, est $US 60-80,000 [christies]
Previously, related: Marcel Duchamp Facsimile Object (MD1)