Paper researching the History of Modern Art to improve knowledge and understanding of some specific topic in the field. Papers needed to be a minimum of five pages of text with footnotes or endnotes and a final bibliography. A minimum of eight primary and secondary research sources was also required. Students were encouraged to mix art history with other disciplines to produce a fuller and more complex treatment of your topic: art theory/criticism, social and cultural history, politics and economics, technology, literature, gender studies, design, or decorative arts.

Abstract

Étant donnés was Duchamp’s final major work of art, created in secret during the last twenty years of his life and gifted to the Philadelphia Museum of Art after his death. The piece was somewhat ignored, even panned by critics at its unveiling. Étant donnés is controversial in subject matter and misunderstood in attempts to interpret its meaning. This paper will attempt to decipher the mystery of Étant donnés. Through an analysis of selected samples of Duchamp’s works. Duchamp’s post-1940 activities were rife with clues to the existence of Étant donnés and hints that can help us determine its meaning. This paper will also explore the connection between Étant donnés and the Large Glass and numerous other works by Duchamp. Duchamp always the clever chess player, plays a game with his audiences through his works ever fascinating and compelling works of art.