duchamp letters

7/27/2019 Duchamp Letters

1/16http://www.jstor.org

Amicalement, Marcel: Fourteen Letters from Marcel Duchamp to Walter Pach

Author(s): Francis M. Naumann and Marcel Duchamp

Source: Archives of American Art Journal, Vol. 29, No. 3/4 (1989), pp. 36-50

Published by: The Smithsonian Institution

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1557731

Accessed: 23/08/2008 18:32

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless

you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you

may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use.

Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=si.

Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed

page of such transmission.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the

scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that

promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1557731?origin=JSTOR-pdfhttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=sihttp://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=sihttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/stable/1557731?origin=JSTOR-pdf


2/16

M arcelFOURTEEN LETTERS FROM MARCEL DUCHAMPTO WALTER PACH

FRANCIS M. NAUMANNWALTER PACH AND MARCEL DUCHAMP were lifelongfriends. They met in Parisin the yearsjust before the FirstWorld War, at a time when both were young artists intheir twenties. Whereas Duchamp was to become a leg-endary figure in the world of twentieth-century art, Pachis known today only to specialists in the field of modernAmerican art. Nevertheless, working behind the scenes -as was his style -for a period of nearly fifty years, Pachserved as one of the most important and influential figuresin the history of early American modernism. Through hislectures, writings, and the art exhibitions he organized,Pach worked tirelessly and selflessly as one of this coun-try's most ardent and dedicated defenders of the new art.A remarkably talented and versatile individual, in hisefforts to educate a guarded and conservative Americanpublic, he assumed many roles: artist, journalist, critic,historian, teacher, collector, lecturer, adviser, curator,connoisseur, translator. Although his accomplishmentswere many, he will probably be best remembered for theimportant part he played in the selection of work for the1913 Armory Show, the very exhibition that propelledDuchamp to the forefront of the European avant-garde.'Pach's interest in art dated from his childhood. Hisfather was a professional photographer, and although heearned most of his income from portraiture, he was alsoemployed as the officialphotographer of the MetropolitanMuseum, where the young Pach was likely introducedto the world of art even before he could walk. Upongraduation from college in 1903, he traveled to Europeas a student in the art class of William Merritt Chase, agroup that included the painters Charles Sheeler andMorton Schamberg. For the next few years he wouldmake frequent trips abroad, taking up full-time residencein Paris in 1907. It was there, while pursuing his careeras a painter, that Pach began to write about modern art,contributing essays to various American magazines, themost notable being his article on Cezanne for Scribner's,the firstessay on this important French painter to appearin the American press.2It was at just about this time that Pach met MarcelDuchamp, probably on one of his many visits to Puteaux,

the Parisiansuburbwhere Duchamp's older brotherslivedand had their studios and where they often presided overinformal gatherings for friends and relatives on Sundayafternoons. Pach was especially impressed by the Cubistsculpture of Marcel's oldest brother Raymond Duchamp-Villon, and he eventually went on to write the firstmono-graph on the artist.3When Pach first met Marcel, how-ever, he probably took only a casual interest in his work,which was then evolving rapidly from Impressionism toexperiments with the most radical expression of the newart: Cubism. Years later, Pach recalled that it was Du-champ's showing at the Section d'Or, held in the fall of1912 at the Galerie la Boetie in Paris,that firstmade himaware of the quality in Duchamp's work.4 It was at thisexhibition that Duchamp's NudeDescending Staircasewasgiven its first Parisian showing, for earlier in the year,because of the painting's provocative title, the artist wascoerced by his brothers to withdraw it from exhibitionat the Salon des Independants. Pach, who had been as-signed the responsibility of selecting works for the Ar-mory Show, chose this painting for display in New York,a decision that would not only alter the course of Du-champ's future, but one that had certain decisive reper-cussions for the general history of modern art and itsacceptance in America.To serve as administrator,publicist, and gallery lecturerfor the exhibition, Pach returned to the United States,where, through correspondence, he relayed occasionalreports on the success of the Armory Show to his variousfriends in Europe. The notoriety of Duchamp's Nude andhis resultant success at the exhibition (all four of hispictures sold) strengthened the friendship between Pachand Duchamp, a mutual regard for each other's talentsthat endured throughout their lives. The first letter oftheir correspondence dates from some three months afterthe Armory Show closed in New York, but only a fewweeks after it had concluded its extended showings inChicago and Boston. Telling Pach that he has heard thegood news about the exhibition through his brothers,Duchamp writes to inquire about the payment of an out-standing balance on the sale on one of his pictures:

36


3/16

Neuilly S/Seine9 rue Amiral de JoinvilleWednesday,July 2 [1913]Dear Mr. Pach,I have heard throughmy brothersall thegood newsregarding he exhibition n America.5I am veryhappy; and I thankyou for the dedicationwith whichyou have defendedour painting. I wanted to writeyou for a long time, but I am so lazy that I am nolonger tryingtofind an excuse or it.There s also a matterof economics:Has the last600 F. checkbeensent?-or is it just delayed?--Ihave not received t- Could t be lost in the mail? Iam askingfor your answer on a simple postcard-Areyou workinga lot?I am very depressed t the moment and I do abso-lutelynothing. Theseare short unpleasantmoments.I will leave in August to spendsome time in Eng-land.Theweather is verynice at Puteaux on Sundays,and you must miss takingpart in ourgames in thegarden.Willyou be backwith us soon? Don'tyou missParis a little. We have had a visitfrom Mr. Torrey,who is an excellentman.7 He seemedveryhappy tomake our acquaintance-Goodbye, dear Mr. Pach, send us some news soon.

VerycordiallyyoursMarcelDuchampOn the conclusion of the Armory Show, through hiswritings and the exhibitions he organized, Pach contin-ued in his efforts to promote the acceptance of modernart in America. In the fall of 1913, he participated in theorganization of an exhibition entitled American Cubistsand Post-Impressionists, a show of forty paintings byeleven American modernists, most of whom were Pach'sfriends and colleagues. After its initial viewing at theCarnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, the exhibition was in-stalled at the Montross Gallery in New York, and waslater expanded for a showing at the Art Museum in Cin-cinnati.8 One of the three paintings Pach contributed tothis exhibition was ProgressionNo. 1, a work that revealsan obvious affinity to Cubism, as did most of the otherpaintings included in the show. Not everyone was pleasedto see such a strong influence of European art: "Ameri-cans have mixed their brushes in the pernicious foreignpaints," noted one reviewer of the Montross exhibition,"and for every foreign craziness that shocked us last year[at the Armory Show] we have now an American cra-ziness that more than matches it."9In the aftermath of the Armory Show, Pach continuedto communicate with dealers and a number of his artist-friends in Paris in order to secure loans for importantexhibitions of modern art that were planned for the Car-roll,Montross,and Bourgeois galleries n New York.Eventsin his private life came together just as quickly, for inFebruaryof 1914 he married Magdalene (Magda) Froh-berg, a German artistwhom he had met some years earlier

in Florence during his student days. During the summerof 1914, the couple traveled together to Paris where,while Pach renewed his acquaintances and continued tosearch out works for loan to various galleries in NewYork, Mrs. Pach took classes at the Academie Ranson.When war broke out in summer (in August 1914), Pach'sjob surely must have become more difficultwith his Ger-man name. But he was accorded a certain privilegedstatus, for he had received a letter from former PresidentTheodore Roosevelt requesting that the officials of allgovernments lend their assistance in helping Pach to re-alize the important work he was doing for the country.'?It is likely that Pach and Duchamp met often in thisperiod, even though Duchamp was consciously attempt-ing to retreat from the activities of an artistic life. Sometime earlier, he had taken a job as a librarian at theBibliotheque Sainte-Genevieve, and this next letter toPach is written on the library's stationery.

BIBLIOTHEQUEte-GENEVIEVEParis January 19 1915My dearfriend.A thousandthanksfor your nice letter. It reallypleasedme. I communicated t to thefamily, who willwriteyou too.First, all my congratulationsor your fatherhood.Pleasegive Mrs. Pach all my wishes of long lifeforyoung Raymond- You mustfeel profoundlyhappywith the outcome.

JacquesVillonmust have writtenyou; He still isnear Amiens, but he has been at rest or two weeks.12that is about20 km. at the rearof the trenches;Thesituation has not changedsinceyou left. We still readthe war communiques wice a day. There s less impa-tience:a kind of hibernationof the blood: I feel betterthis way becauseI do not have to talk of and heartalk of this matter.Raymond s still at St. Germain.Fromtime to time,he speaksof a probabledeparture;but nothing is defi-nite at the moment. Yvonne'3 s still at the hospital,delightedwith her life as a nurse;she would notgiveher placefor an empire(of Germany).I go thereeveryten daysto spend the evening.In Paris, life is dull as always. Sinceyesterday,wemust avoid any light that couldindicateParis to theZeppelins;rom 6 o'clockon shopsare half-closed,thereare no longerlight-signs;the streetsare barelylitand at thefirst alert it is totallyblack. Onegoes to themovies,becauseplays are even less interesting.Mysister-in-lawVillon4 will probably eavefor the Northas a nursesometime oon. She is happy about it,she mightbe able to see her husband. This is lessprobable.I have been consideredby the dischargeboard:andI have been condemned o remaina civilianfor theentiredurationof the war. They ound me toosicktobe a soldier. 5 I am not too sad about this decision:you know it well.So I keepon workingwith regularity, or a few

37


4/16

ours each day, I am very tired at the moment. Iave not yet finished my red thing on glass. I think Iill complete it at the end of February. 16I have not seen any artist for a long time. I do notnow if Brancusi has left Paris. 7 I do not think so. Iill pay him a visit one of these days.The Montparnasse is still as ever. I am writing youthe library, where life is even longer than intime. This tells you how little there is to do.News of the sale of the watercolor and of the printsus great pleasure'8 and we are happy if your ef-have not been vain, my dear Pach.Is life in New Yorkstill following the consequencesof the war or is this crisis over? Surely it is.Thank you also for the catalogues. Here, there arenaturally no exhibitions. Flags are the only things incolor that one can see.There are a few concerts on Sundays, rather mea-without German music.Write a note from time to time. I am also very lazyabout writing myself.Will you come to Paris this Summer as you had toldme?Please give my regards to Mrs. Pach and give a kissto young Raymond for me. Very amicably yours,Marcel Duchamp23 rue St. HippolyteParis

As we shall see, during the spring of 1915 DuchampPach communicated with one another rather fre-usually writing to report on the success

exhibitions in New York, while Duchamp respondedupdated reports on the war, the location of hisand occasional information about the progresshis own work.St. HippolyteFriday March 12 [1915]dear friend.I read your letter to Raymond and the good newsyou. I also got the reproduction of my drawingthe newspaper.19I just received the Matisse catalogue; this exhibitionhave been very interesting by its importance and

diversity. I recall very well his painting of theFish" and the reproduction is good.20Here the war lasts, lasts. . . . We always have ex-news from Villon; good health, good morale,gay: he amazes us all with his endurance; oneof the "big spring blow" which ought to be deci-there is a great trust circulating with the first-I remember too well the same trust of lastand all I see is a civilian imagination badlyFor without any pessimism, one expects tothe end of the war this summer (before vacation).Paris has only darkened after your departure. Thewalks have become sad because the lighting isnonexistent.

Marcel Duchamp, photographed by Pach Brothers in 1915,from Vanity Fair.I went to Rouen for half a month to my family fora change of scene.Since my return I have been working a lot; I amfinishing the bits of glass I had begun and I am pre-paring the top of my painting.21 I am above all happyto finish these few small things before beginning an-other part.Raymond is still happy at St. Germain, his wife isa nurse there at the hospital as you know; I go therepretty often we play games of poker and we imagineourselves being very far away from the events--besideshere we have very little sense of the war; on the con-trary in the small towns of the country.I have heard that Delaunay was or is leaving forAmerica. Do you know anything about it?The artistic life of Mont Parnasse is still as alwaysalthough I know very little about it now. I have notmet any painter of my acquaintance. I have not comeback to the Russian studio on the avenue du Maine(where we should have dined). I must absolutely gosee Brancusi.From Picasso, from Braque, from Derain I have nonews.

My sister-in-law Villon and my sister are nurses atthe hopital des Jeunes Aveugles (at the corner of the


5/16

Boulevard des Invalides and the rue de Sevres). Theyare delighted with their profession.How are Mrs. Pach and young Raymond. Fortu-nately, he will not remember the bad times that wit-nessed his birth. He is already big now, and you mustbe very happy.Good bye now, my dear friend, I promise to writeyou more often. I fear that you will receive this letterreally late because of the German submarines.Please give my regards to Mrs. Pach, kiss Raymondmany times for me, and accept a thousand tokens ofmy friendship - Marcel Duchamp23 r. St. HippolyteAt the time of Duchamp's writing, five of his paintingswere on display in an exhibition of Contemporary FrenchArt at the Carroll Galleries in New York, two of whichwere purchased by the New Yorklawyer and artcollector,John Quinn.22 n a lette(of March 1, 1915, Pach informedDuchamp of several other sales, and Duchamp respondedwith the following letter.

ParisFriday April 2 [1915]My dear friend.I receivedyour letter of March 9 which brought usthe good news of the sale at the exhibition. On behalfof Raymond and Villon I am reporting to you howhappy they are.Raymond's wood pieces are at Pottier's. We went tothe consulate; all the papers are in order. I am send-ing them to you herewith. -In the same package Igave Pottier 2 paintings and a large drawing on boardthat were at Picabia's and which I should have hadWalter Pach, ca. 1915. Pach Papers, Archives of American Art,Smithsonian Institution.

delivered to you last November. They are for you tochoose what you will like better than the small studyfor girl.23 If not keep it and make a bargain with mypackage when the occasion arises. It is understood ofcourse that I am responsible for the cost of shipping.(If you make a bargain with the girl, you can have600 F.)- This package will leave from Bordeaux onboard the "Espagne" on April 10.Mrs. Villon will send a package to your address(Beekman Place) including prints, which I do not be-lieve can possibly leave on the 10th. Ribemont-Dessaignes might add a few small canvases to thispackage.24 He is very depressed and I have a very highregard for him: I hope I will not bother you whiledoing him a favor.Now here is what interests me particularly: I haveabsolutely decided to leave France. As I had told youlast November, I would willingly live in New York.But only on the condition that I could earn my livingthere. 1st. Do you think that I could easily find a jobas a librarian or something analogous that wouldleave me great freedom to work (Some informationabout me: I do not speak English, I graduated withmy Baccalaureate in literature (don't you laugh!!), Iworked for two years at the Bibliotheque Ste. Gene-vieve as an intern. -2nd. I will leave here at the end *of May at the earliest. Do you think that this is agood time or should I rather wait until September. Ihave told no one about this plan. Thus I ask you toanswer me on this topic on a separate sheet in yourletter so that my brothers do not know anything beforemy resolution is completely made.

prices on invoice:2painted board: 600 nude descendingdrawing on board: 1000 bachelor machinecanvas Virgin and bride 600Sculptures each 1000

About the war, there is no significant news. No im-portant move forward, no move backward. A hopelessequilibrium.Villon is gay in his letters, he is in the office of hiscompany somewhat at the rear of the trenches andkeeps accounts. He is drawing and I think he willsend us documentary drawings on the trenches.I left Raymond a while ago after the consulate. Heis going back to St. Germain where he and Yvonne goon with their life.I work a little, but I am bothered a lot by a bunchof people that one never sees in peace time and thatwar obliges us to meet.That's it, my dear friend, very little news. Pleasegive my regards to Mrs. Pach and kisses to youngRaymond for me.Very cordially yours, Marcel Duchamp23 rue Hippolyte

* Note to the translations: Words or phrases set in roman type preserveDuchamp's original wording -in most cases the word or phrase waswritten in English.39


6/16

From the next letterin theircorrespondence,t is ev-ident that Pach respondedalmost immediatelyto Du-champ'sletter, but ratherthan encouragethe artisttoleave Paris,it seems that he must have questionedhismotives for wanting to come to America,to a countrythat he knew would be reluctant o embrace his youngartist'sconoclastic pirit.Untilnow, it was assumed hatDuchampleft Paris n orderto exercisean unrestrictedfreedomofexpression,n a country hathe thoughtwouldbe morereceptive o his new and innovative deas. But,as this letter demonstrates,he was interestedmore insecuringa position of seclusionfromthe constraintsofan exclusively"artistic ife."

Cafe-RestaurantL.MOLLARDHotelAnglo AmericainApril 27 [1915]113-115-117 Rue Saint LazareParis (VIII)My dearfriendI received our doubleletterthis morning withgreatpleasure. I have received he catalogue rom theMontrossGalleryand I was verysurprisednot to seeyour name next to Mr. Daviesand Mr. Kuhn.26I alsosensegreat discouragementn your letter!YoumissParis,yes, I understand his verywell becausehereyou were living thefree life of an artistwith all theand all the hard timesthat one likes to remem-stay in New York s a verydifferentmatter.do notgo there to seekwhat is missingin Paris. I dohope tofind anything therebut individuals--Ifrememberour talkson the BoulevardsSt. MichelRaspail,you will see my intentionto departas aonsequence f theseconversations.I do notto New YorkI leave Paris. It is altogetherdifferent.For a long time and even beforethe war, I havethis "artistic ife" in which I was involved.the exactoppositeof what I want. So I had triedsomewhatescape rom the artiststhroughthe li-Thenduring the war, I felt increasinglymorewith this milieu. I absolutelywanted toWhereto? New Yorkwas my only choice,be-knewyou there. I hope to be able to avoid anife there,possiblywith a job which wouldme verybusy. I have askedyou to keepthe secret

my brothersbecauseI know that this departurebe veryhard on them.- Thesamefor my fathermy sisters. Yet,sinceyou warn me againstNewf I cannot live thereany morethan Paris, Ialways comeback, orgo somewhereelse.-Irepeated oyou my preoccupationo earn enoughto live theresecurely.It is a necessary onse-I think that my father has done enough foralso refuseto envisionan artist'slife in searchglory and money. I am veryhappy when I learnyou have sold thesecanvasesand I thankyousincerely or yourfriendship. But I am afraid toup being in need to sell canvases,in otherwords,a societypainter.-I will probably eaveon May

Marcel Duchamp, NudeDescending StaircaseNo. 2, 1912. Oilon canvas, 58 x 35 in. Philadelphia Museum of Art; Louiseand WalterArensberg Collection.22nd or possibly29th, if the authoritiesallow me toboardthe steamer.27 will wireyou from Bordeaux.I hope (?) tofind here the promiseof a position.(This is problematic). n any case, I beg you not to be-lieve that my brothers hinkyou might be pressuringme. Thethreeof us have too much confidence ndfriendship or you. I am sure that they will find atleastsomecomfort n knowing that I will be therewith you.I am going to St. Germain. I will give themyourletterand thegood newsfromyou.I must leave and I hope to seeyou soon. ThankMrs. Pachfor me about the BrentanoHouse.28But donotforget that I do not know a word of English,which, I believe, is the mosttroublesome art of the


7/16

story.All my respects,and all myfriendshipand amilitarysalutefor young Raymond.M. DuchampA few weeks beforehis scheduleddeparture or NewYork,Duchampreceivedanother letter from Pach ex-pressing feelings of uncertainty about his trip. Un-daunted,Duchamp espondsbytellingPach hathisplanshavenotchanged:he isdeterminedocome toNewYork,even if the job he will have to take in orderto supporthimselfmeansthat he will have to stop painting.ParisMay 21 1915My dearfriend.I received our letterof May 7. In fact, I under-standyour uncertainty.Onehas to takethesemo-mentsas calmlyas possiblewhile keepingup hope.I saw Raymondat St. Germain. I told him aboutmy departure.Hefinds the ideagood enough but hedisapproves f the date. He thinks that I should wait.As I expected,he has sentimentaland family reasons,which I share. But I thoughtabout everything ongenough to not change my mind.I went to the TransatlanticCompany.There s nodepartureon May29. The "Rochambeau"will leaveon June 5. And it is almostcertainthat I will leaveon that day.I also talked to him aboutArensberg'smaga-zine.29 - This is the plan: I will seeMrs. Ricoutomor-row who might have somearticlesby Mercereau.Gleizesmight have articlesas well. In otherwords, Iwill try to set up an arrangementwith a few friendswho couldcontribute omepoemsor prose. I just needtofind someonereliablehere who would correspondregularlywith Arensberg.Leaving on the 5th, Ihope to bringyou something or the magazine. (thedifficulty s that they are all in the war). I am notafraid tofind too many piecesof writing.Regardingmy stay thereI am determined o take ajob even if it preventsmefrom painting. Toobad!Aboveall, don'tyou worryin the least, my dearfriend. I am botheredenough to causeyou so muchtrouble.But I hope to make it up toyou. All myregards o Mrs. Pach and a kiss to littleRaymondfor you a thousandkind regards, MarcelDuchampDuchamp'sboat sailed nto New Yorkharboron June15, 1915, where he was greetedat the pier by WalterPachand immediately akento the home of WalterandLouiseArensberg, nthusiasticcollectorsof modernartwho were soon to become Duchamp'sclosestfriends nAmericaandhis mostdedicatedpatrons.Pach,who hadhelped to educateWalterArensbergon variousaspectsof modern art duringthe ArmoryShow, continued toadvisethe collectoron purchases,a roleDuchampwouldassume in increasingdegreesas his friendshipwith theArensbergs developed during these years in New York.30In his next letter to Pach, written just over a month after

his arrival in New York, Duchamp provides a report ofhis various activities.

Wednesday- [postmarked: July 28, 1915]My dear PachDid you receive our parcel?I asked or a squarepalette. He told me that he did not have any others.I am afraidyou won't be satisfiedwith it. Letmeknow. I will find what you want easilyenough atMontrossor elsewhere.Also to makeyou happy:I paid 79 cents.I saw yourfather at "Nicholas."'He toldme tocomepick up the sampleof my photo. It is verygood.Now tell me: is it for VanityFair, orfor me? Do Ihave to bring it to this publication?Givemeyourinstructions. 31Onething that will interestyou more:Mr. Quinntelephonedme on Saturdaymorningat 11. I had beento see him at his housefor two minutesand he invitedmefor the same evening, at four o'clock,togo withhim, Mr. Greggand Mr. Kuhn and a young lady(whosename I forget)to Coney sland.32Wespentaveryamusing eveningthere:the Luna Park, SteepleChase,dinner at Feltman's, returnby car:you canpictureit yourself.Mr. Gregg s, on secondimpression,veryverynice.Kuhn was charmingwith me And I was able to un-derstandbetterwhat you had toldme. Besidesourconversation emainedgeneral, and the moredifficultfor me since no one spokea word of French.But I managed-Did not say a word aboutyou, ofcourse- Discretion- Not a word of Davies either.-Mr. Quinn, in fact, couldbefor me a heartysup-porter.I appreciatedhim evenmorethan thefirsttime. He is veryanxious to know whether Cubismwaskilledby the war and he has general questionsaboutart and Europeoverthe next threeyears: As soon asmy English will allow me to do so I promiseto makehim give up this "political"vision of art, and I willtry to express horoughly o him our ideas which areoutsideof any influenceof milieu or the period--up toa certain point of course.It couldbe beneficial orhim and for me to mix up thesetwo points of view inthe same basket.-I receiveda telephonecallfrom Friedmann or aneveningout last week but I couldnotgo. I have writ-ten themfor a visit one of thesedays, I await theiranswer.Also, I had a letter rom Miss Junghaus, in NewYork.I answeredher. I am expectinga telephonecallfrom her. I am togo to Mr. Quinn'sfor breakfastone morningsoonI always work and I am veryhappy. I will write inEnglishsoon.- -All my respectso Mrs. Pach. Kissthe childfor me. Cordially ours.M. DuchampIt was probably at this time -or, at most, a few monthslater-that Pach painted Duchamp's portrait, a reason-able likeness of the young artist, but cast with pursedlips, and rendered in a somewhat stiff, pensive pose.

41


8/16

During the course of the next three years, Pach and Du-champ probably communicated with one another fre-quently, through meetings, or telephone conversations.With a host of other American artists, they worked to-gether on the formation of the Society of IndependentArtists, and they both served on the Board of Directorsfor its first annual exhibition in 1917. To this exhibitionPach submitted two paintings: one simply entitled Por-trait, and another called Sunday Night, a Cubist compo-sition of 1916 that was later retitled St. Patrick'sat Night.The more descriptive title allows us to discern the imageof figures moving about within a somewhat confusedand imprecise spatial setting, the vertical lines in thebackground determining the facade of the well-knownFifth Avenue cathedral. Even though Pach took his cre-ative endeavors quite seriously, it is not for these accom-plishments that he will be best remembered. Indeed, asmany critics have noted, most of his paintings from thisperiod are derivative. Perhaps the same factors that mo-tivated his promotional activities - a respect and devotionfor the pioneers of modernism--caused him to assumea more passive position within the modernist movement,painting pictures that openly acknowledge the influenceof other modern artists whose work he admired.

Duchamp's submission to the First Independent's Ex-hibition was far more adventurous, and resulted in gen-erating even more controversy than whatever objectionsmight have been expressed for his earlier Cubist paint-ings. Under the pseudonym of "R. Mutt," Duchamp sub-mitted his infamous Fountain, a stark white porcelainurinal that was clearly intended to challenge the "juryfree" principles of the newly established society.33Its re-jection caused Duchamp and Walter Arensberg to resignfrom the organization, but Pach would continue to workin an administrative capacity for the society for the nexttwenty years.In spite of their differences over this matter, Duchampand Pach remained close friends, and their correspon-dence resumed when Duchamp left New York for BuenosAires in 1918. His first letter from South America beginsby relaying news he has received of his brother's deathand, in addition to a reporton life in the Argentine capitaland an update on the progress of his own work, he seizesthe opportunity to enlist Pach's support for an exhibitionof modern art that he is planning.

BuenosAiresNovember15- [1918]My dear Walter,dearMagda.I receivedonly a few days ago, your two lettersandthankyou verymuch.Youprobablyknow that our dear Raymonddiedaround October 734 A cable rom myfamilybroughtme the news here-I know thatyou will ex-periencemoresorrowthan anyone. I know the deepfriendshipand admirationthatyou had for him. -Ihave not learnedany detailsyet-It must have been aterribleagonyfollowing twoyears of suffering.Asidefrom that, the news of the armisticehas been

good news-Marches here, parades etc. . . . BuenosAires is a large country own-and it is not interest-ing. There s a quiet country ife here which haschangedme and made me miss New York. But I amused to it now and I am workinga lot = I tookwithme all my notes or theglass so that I can continuetowork on it here and I hope tofinish the drawingsina few months- 35The "painterly"tribepresentsno interest.Zuloagasand Anglada Camarosas:bothstudents,more orless 36 A few important galleries sell expensively andsteadily- Thefew peoplethat I met 'have heard" ofcubismbut are totallyignorantof the significanceof amodern movement-I immediately houghtto organizean exhibitionhere next winter (that is, here, startingin May-June). I wrote to H.M. Barzun in N. Y.who, becauseof his independentposition, will be abletogather, I hope, aboutthirtygood items. I toldhim to turn toyou to seekyour advice,and I am ask-ing you to help him a little, if your timepermits.Isent him a long letterwith all the details:As he willno doubttellyou, I askedof the dealersor of thepaintersthemselves o frame their works and to payfor the insuranceround-trip.This is, on the whole,not too much to ask; I will make thefinal arrange-ments here-Go and see de Zayaswho will be themostimportant ender and convincehim to participateunder these conditions.37My plans are-I expect o remainhere until June-July afterthe exhibition f it really happens. ThenIwill go backto Europearound this time-where I willstay for a few months and afterwards will comerightbackto N. Y. Plans, plans-In any case, I find ituseless togo to Francerightnow- The readjustmentto peacewill take as much time (at least 6 months)asit took to adjustto the war-Here we are, all in all I am happy. I hope thatMagda and the child are doingwell, thatyou aregladto have returned o N. Y. and thatyour winter is nottoo rough-I am writing with my doorsopen it is almost sum-mer here-there are plenty of mosquitoesand flies-Goodbye, farewell, I will seeyou soon with my af-fectionto the threeof you MarcelDuchamp

1507 SarmientoBuenos AiresBecause he received little cooperation from his friends,and, in part, because of Pach's lack of enthusiasm, Du-champ decided to abandon his idea of organizing anexhibition of modern art in Buenos Aires. He writes toPach to inform him of his decision, and to tell him thathe plans to return to France in a couple of weeks.

BuenosAiresJune 6, [19]19My dear Walter.DearMagda.I have been verynegligent.I should have answeredyour lettera long time ago, the last one in which you

42


9/16

Walter Pach, ProgressionNo. 1, ca. 1913. The painting, whosepresent location is not known, was included in the MontrossGallery exhibition, February 1914.asked me to send a telegram-Naturally while expect-ing your letter, I was also waiting for one from Bar-zun -Not having received anything from him andwith your rather pessimistic indications regarding theexhibition, I decided to give up the project, in whichthere were only troubles for me anyway.I was wrong-from the monetary point of viewB.A. is a city where anything new (for them) is a fi-nancial success-and even in modern painting there isa market to be created. I cannot tell you that I metanyone who seemed to be interested in this matter butI am sure that an exhibition would generate some ama-teurs-from this point of view New York is a city fullof tradition in this domain as opposed to B.A. -Natu-rally, here too, one sees the European painter who ar-rives, as well announced as an actor, who paints someten portraits during the year, and who then goes backto Europe to live in the country and fish with rod andline. (see Guirand de Scevola).38Apart from all that, I have worked a little, I haveplayed chess a lot, and I am going back to France onJune 20, with an English company landing in Lon-don around July 19 or 20-So, write to me at Rouen

71 rue Jeanne d'Arc I hope I will find a note fromyou when I get there.Even though one cannot make a comparison be-tween N. Y. and B.A., I have quite enjoyed the 10months that I spent here. I have been very lazy andthis is probably the reason why I will keep a goodmemory of it-And you two, what are you up to? TheIndependents are over and it is Summer again. Doyou go to the country- Tell me some gossip-I am very apprehensive about my arrival at Pu-teaux where poor Raymond is missing. It is really anawful thing that one realizes more and more preciselywhile the actual event recedes in timeDo you think you will come to Europe? If yes, natu-rally we will see each other. I doubt that you wouldcome at this time of year.Good bye, kiss little Raymond for me and much af-fection to both of you Marcel71 rue Jeanne d'ArcRouenI hope to be back in N. Y. in October-November

Duchamp returned to Europe in July. Except for oc-casional trips to visit his parents in Rouen, he spent mostof his time in Paris, where he remained as a houseguestof the Picabias for about six months. It was at this time,probably through Picabia's introduction, that Duchampestablished contact with the ParisianDada group, joiningoccasional gatherings at the Cafe Certa. At the end ofAugust he wrote to Pach, informing him of his activitiesand describing the postwar atmosphere of Paris.

Paris End of August[postmarked September 3, 1919]My dear WalterDear MagdaFor a month I have been seeing here all my friends

again one by one-No one has changed, they still livein the same apartments with the same dusty things asfive years ago.I see little of the painters (same old song) and I didnot see anything in painting that interests me exceptthe things of Ribemont-Dessaignes, Picabia and mybrother who has worked a lot since his demobilization.Paris in the summertime is decidedly very pretty be-cause of the lack of people. It is typically warm and Iam preparing to spend the winter in N. Y. I will leavein December to go there-I hope that you are happyand that the child is growing. I saw Yvonne, Ray-mond's wife who is not demobilized yet-I went toLaon to see her.Villon and Gaby are still in Puteaux and they sendyou their kind regards.Write me a note at: c/o Francis Picabia32 avenue Charles FloquetParisI live there and I will stay there for the three monthsthat I spend in FranceVery affectionately to the three of you Marcel

43


10/16

As planned, Duchamp departed for America in De-cember, arriving in New Yorkshortly after the first of theyear. Here he resumed his friendship with the Arensbergs,and with Man Ray, participatedin various Dada activitiesinspired by communication with Tristan Tzara and Pi-cabia in Paris.39n this period, Pach was preparing severalmonographs, one on Seurat that was published in 1923,and another on Raymond Duchamp-Villon that appearedin 1924.40 In that same year, he published a book entitledThe Mastersof ModernArt, where, in a discussion of thework of various Cubist artists, he states that "MarcelDuchamp's painting is perhaps the purest, perhaps thestrongest in the group." He then informs his readers thatDuchamp has stopped painting on canvas, and, rather,prefers to paint on the surface of glass, noting that "atonce the followers of the artistbegan to exploit this beautyof the material." Apparently, Pach felt that these imitatorsdid not emulate Duchamp's example for the rightreasons,for, as he notes, "Duchamp had adopted [the mediumof glass] in order to orient his work in the direction ofpure idea." As Pach accuratelyobserved,Duchamp's workwould probably only be understood in the future. "Per-haps a new generation will have to come," he wrote,"before the true effect of his research will be seen."41

Other than for a six month sojourn to Parisduring thelatterhalf of 1921, Duchamp remained in New YorkuntilFebruary of 1923. In that month he returned to Paris,where he settled for the next twenty years. In this period,he communicated by letter infrequently, writing to friendsonly when he had some special news to report. Duringthe summer of 1927, an exceptional event took place inhis private life that warranted notifying all of his friends.June 24 [1927]My dear Waltermy dearMagda.I have beenmarriedor fifteendaysto MissSarazin-Levassorwhosefather was in the automobilecompanyPanhard-Levassor-It is a charmingexperience o farand I hope that it will continue.42 t did not changeanything in my life-I have to make moneybut notfor two. Let us hope that someluckoncea year willhelp the householdto maintain its well being.I am sorrythatyou are not comingto Europe--Somedayyou will meetmy wife who is reallyverynice.Business

I boughtsome time ago a verysmall OdilonRedon(watercolor) bout30cmx 20cm which is one of hislastformulas;not mystical,no flowers--but so tospeak, only color- Without orm or representation.I thoughtthat the Bings43might be interestedbysuch a work-If you think that it is worth it, I amwilling to send it toyou-I would like $500 for mewhich does not seem to be exaggerated.Answer meand I will send it immediately f you wish -It isframed-How areyou doing? What'sup with Magda?I maybegoing to N. Y. at the end of the year-Everybodyhere is doing well

Veryaffectionatelyo the threeofyou Marcel11 rue LarreyParis (V)The small Brancusitorso that Mrs. Bing liked is stillin storageat Brummers,King and ParkerDuring the late 1920s and early 1930s, Duchamp spent

most of his time playing chess, entering tournamentsthroughout Europe as a member of the French team.With a greater detachment from the art scene he relaxedhis earlier position about not exhibiting, allowing ex-amples of his work to be shown in selected exhibitionsin America and in Europe. But at some point in the early1930s, he was approached by Alfred Barr, newly ap-pointed director of the Museum of Modern Art, and ap-parently asked to contribute to an exhibition he was inthe process of organizing (probably Modern Works ofArt: Fifth Anniversary Exhibition, which opened at themuseum in November 1934).44 At first, Pach seems tohave held a relatively low opinion of Barr'squalifications,sentiments he must have expressed in a letter to Du-champ. It seems that Duchamp, too, was unimpressedby his firstmeeting with Barr,so -probably in deferenceto Pach-he writes saying that he will refuse to cooperatewith the museum director, and asks Pach to do the same.

11 rue Larrey17 October 19]34Dear Walter,dearMagdaFour monthsago I received our long and veryin-teresting etter.And I did not answerit earlierbecauseI found it impossible o make a fast decisionI mentioned oyou last winter my lackof confidencein Barr, and his feeling of hostilitytowards me (inparticular)which manifested tself by small vexationsthroughwhich his narrownessbecameclearto me.Consequently,hat whichyou tell me only helpstoconfirm his impressionurther and if war has beendeclared,I am determined ofight him in my man-ner.I think that an open controversywould only in-crease he numberof his followers,for the critic'sonlyweapon is silence--(You know how much I amusemyselfwhen painters complainthatfifty lines havebeen dedicated o telling them off- They orgetthat itis better han a hundredlines of congratulations-)RecentlyHortersold me his sketchof the Nude de-scending . . . which I resold immediately to Arens-berg.45Mr. Barr wrote to my shipperin New York ofind out where this nude was, in order to exhibit it inNovemberat the modernmuseum Immediately, IaskedArensberg o refuseto send this sketchto theshow. I receiveda letter rom Barr askingme to ex-hibit this nude-I simplytoldhim to write to Mr. Ar-ensbergyou will see if Barr tried to exhibitanyotherof my works. In any case, if by chance he askedyou for one of my paintings, refusehim undersomeinsignificantpretextand without acrimony-As you

44


11/16

yourself say, Derain, Picasso etc. . . . will never ex-pressthemselves n writing in the way thatyouwished- Youwould receiveno answer-For the na-ture of the artist is to eat his neighbor irst.I [shall] take it upon myselfto describeBarr to peo-ple who would ask my opinion about him. -And if itdoes not harm him in an obvious ashion I am certainthat his spitefulincompetencewill turn against himautomatically n thefuture, which is not sofar away.He has no personalvalue. He is a student and thepeoplewho pay him will be repaidin knowing that,or in discoveringt.Do notforget that the American "clientele"of thelast tenyears has been completelymoldedby the deal-ers of the rue de la Boetie. There s no longera per-sonal search or discoveryn the collector.He hasbeen, despitehimself,or evenquiteconsciously, specu-lator such as the buyersof Rembrandtor Raphaelandat this time when gold cannotkeepa constantvaluethe oil of paintings maintains its own. One could bewrong but in only fifty years we will find out. So,dear Walter,excusethe delay in my answer.I workedall Summerlong on my "book" which ispublishedat last. I am delighted,all my friends like itWalter Pach, Portrait of Marcel Duchamp, 1915. Present locationunknown.

too; I just have to sell it now.46 You have withoutdoubt seen it at Julien Levy's, who has a few copies.By the same courier, I send you a few subscriptionbulletins, just in case some of your friends might beinterested.Good bye now dear Walter, my best regards toMagda and to Raymond.Very affectionately yours

MarcelIf we can take the liberty of interpreting Duchamp'swords, it seems that, at first, he felt that Barr held a

relatively narrow and restrictive view of modern art, onewhich apparently did not coincide with his. But two yearslater, in 1936, six of Duchamp's works were included inBarr'sFantasticArt,Dada, Surrealism,an exhibition whosecatalogue and bulletin contained certain references toDuchamp's Fountain that Pach found objectionable. Ac-cording to Pach, these publications contained only veiledreferences to Duchamp's urinal, which he thought wasan intentional misrepresentation of facts, causing themodem-day public to conclude that the work in questionwas not offensive enough to originally warrant suppres-sion. Apparently Pach believed that these inaccuraciescould prove harmful to the reputation of the Society ofIndependent Artists,on whose administrative staffhe stillserved. But even when Barr responded with an expla-nation, offering to print a correction in the next editionof his catalogue, Pach refused to accept.47Exactly why Pach held such a resentment for Barrmaynever be known, but Barr's continued admiration forDuchamp eventually resulted in winning over his friend-ship. In 1942, for example, Barr was instrumental insecuring Duchamp's passage to America, and once Du-champ settled in New York, the two saw each otherfrequently, getting together every few weeks for a gameof chess at Duchamp's Fourteenth Street studio. And in1945, Barr, who was no longer director of the Museumof Modem Art but still on its Advisory Committee forAcquisitions, voted to purchase Duchamp's The PassageFromthe Virginto the Bride, the very painting Duchamphad given to Pach as a gift in 1915 (see letter of April 2,1915 above), which Pach had kept in his possession forthirty years.48Pach's next communication with Duchamp came in1937, when he proposed the sale of Sad YoungMan Ona Train (1911, Peggy Guggenheim Foundation, Venice),a painting which Pach had acquired from the Americanartist Manierre Dawson, who had purchased it directlyfrom the Armory Show. 11 rue de Larrey Paris V28 Sept. [19]37Dear Walter

Today I am re-reading the letter you sent a yearago (almost exactly)- I do not need tell you howashamed I am never to have answered it.Regarding "the sad young man in the train"'-Iwas of course upset about the price that you had de-

cided and I did not want to discuss it, having left to45


12/16

the right to establisha value.In your letteryou keep20%for me, out of $3500,is $700 and I am verymovedby your intention.Couldyou cancel this 20% and reduce he amountyour share to a sum between$2000 and 2500?I would be entirelysatisfiedwith $100, added toamount.Mostof all, I wish thatyou will not see in my de-answer an unpleasantbargaining I toldyouI would like this painting (if it leavesyou) togojoin its brothersand sisters in California.I am convinced hat my productionbecause t is onscale has no right to be speculatedupon, thatto travel rom one collection o another and get dis-and I am certain that Arensberg,much likeintendsto keepit as a coherentwhole.If this letter and my offerdo not interestyou, forget

If, on the contrary,you agreewith my way ofI will write Arensbergat once and Istronglythat he would refuse.Further, can I askyou to have a good photographtoo dark)8 inch x 10 inch takenof "theyoungwould like to reproducet in the album Ibeen workingon since lastyear and which willfinished beforetwoyears.49Also, let me knowof the photo naturally.-How areyou doing?How are Magda and Ray-do not plan togo to New York his win-- Will you come to Europe?Oneway or the other we will not stay long withouteach other.Goodbye, my dear Walter,a thousandtokensof

affections oyou three. Cordially,MarcelAt the time when Duchamp wrote this letter, Pach wasthe publication of his memoirs, QueerThing,Forty Years n the Art World,which appeared inAs the title indicates, the focus of the book wasinvolvement with the art world over a period ofdecades. He concentrated on his activities devotedthe promotion of modern art,particularlyhis importantin the organization of the Armory Show, but he alsothe opportunity to recall the warm friendship hewith all three of the Duchamp brothers.Marcel, he wrote: "With the third of the brothers Ione reaches the farthest limit of our time in situ-art in its position as an absolute, a 'mental thing'by material support." He goes on to tellreaders that Duchamp has not painted for over twentyand his remaining commentary on the artist isdevoted to providing his readers with a rationalePach, however, was so enamored of

early Cubist compositions -which he com-to the likes of Rembrandt and other Old Masters-help but suspect that he never fully accepteddecision to stop painting.

WalterPach, St. Patrick's t Night, 1916. Oil on canvas, 18 x 24in. Collectionof NikiforaN. Iliopoulos.When the Second World War threatened to engulf allof Europe, Duchamp began to make plans for his returnto the United States. For various reasons, one of whichwas his own dilatory attitude, Duchamp finally left Franceduring the summer of 1942. Upon arrival,he immediatelyrenewed his association with a number of the Surrealists,

many of whom were living out the war years in NewYork. At first, he stayed with Max Ernst, and later in theyear, rented a bedroom in the apartment of the architectand designer Frederick Kiesler. It was while living therethat he received an invitation from Pach to join him inMexico, a country Pach had known well from his visitsin the early 1920s. At this time, he was delivering a seriesof lectures at the University of Mexico on a grant fromthe Schilling Fund, and he invited Duchamp to join himwith the painters, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

56 Seventh Ave NY CityJanuary 3, 1943Dear Magda dear WalterI am re-reading your letter of September 30 towhich I meant to answer every day for threemonths -It is so persuasive and so well conceived byyou that my hesitation to answer can only be ex-plained by the irresolution it created in my mind.Everything is tempting, Frida, Rivera, Mexico, lifesuch as I like it, and material privileges -and yourdescription of it all is a master piece of diabolism.Despite the temptation, I decided not to move. Themain reason is that I could only obtain a visa of re-entry in the U.S.A. with great difficulties (for I amonly a temporary visitor) and I cannot take the risk ofbeing the eternal tourist in this beautiful country-The more so because I did not gather even the mini-mum to pay living expenses for three months there.-I live at the Kieslers' house 56 Seventh Ave (be-tween 14th and 13th Streets)- They have subleased tome a large room which looks like a studio, with bath-


13/16

room and privateentrance-on the 20th floor, superbview, I am very comfortable.I have madesome suitcases did I tellyou aboutit?)--they are boxes- monographsrepresenting he 69things that I have made in my life (it is almostcom-plete)-I have sold enough of them to be able to livesofar. -I was busy with a surrealist show withSchiaparelliand Bretonduring the month ofOctober51Peggy openedhergallery, whose interiorarchitecture s a big success Kiesler ecit) and the col-lection ooksverygood in this space.52I finally received omegood newsfrom MaryRey-nolds- 3 She arrived in Madrid(How??)ten daysago and she sent a cable to her brother- Yesterday,receiveda cable rom herfrom Lisbon whereshe hopesto boarda Clipperon January 6. She will be here ina few days if everything oes as expected-you maynot know that she had finally leftParis and reachedLyon (how??)on September15. But she failed to ob-tain her visa of exitfrom Francebeforethe Germansinvaded thefree zone-I thoughtshe was trappedandI feared the concentration amp or her (forall theAmericanmen and women are therenow)- She willhave somestories to tell us!Kiss Fridafor me and tell her that if I see any pos-sibilityto take a tour of MexicoI will jump on it-Givemyfriendship to Rivera and if you see Paalen,

Peretyou know what to tell them.54 Toyou both Isend my affection Whenwill you be back?Affectionately nd happy New YearMarcelPach and his wife returned some months later, whereit is likely that they resumed their close friendship withDuchamp. Occasional meetings and conversations on thetelephone eliminated a need to continue communicating

by letter, so-alas-at this point their correspondenceceases. Pach devoted the remaining years of his life towriting articles and books, one of the last of which -onthe subject of art museums in America--proudly an-nounces the fact (somewhat prematurely) that all fourof the works by Duchamp exhibited in the Armory Showwere placed in public collections. "It was on its meritsthat Duchamp's work was acquired," he wrote, "the buy-ers wanted it for their study and enjoyment."55 Pachwrote these words knowing that it was for these samereasons that he had himself so enthusiastically supportedDuchamp and his work throughout his life. WAll of Duchamp's ettersto Pach were writtenin French,and they havebeen transcribedand translatedhere by Chantal Combes,whose assistancehas beengreatly appreciated.Changes,however,weremade at my discretionand thereforeany fault that mightappearis entirelymine. I should like tothankMarieKelleror reviewing hismaterial;many of hersuggestionswereincorporatednto the translationsand accompanyingext.

NOTESDuchamp's letters to Walter Pach are preserved in the Walter PachPapers, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, and arepublished here with the generous permission of Madame Alexina Du-champ. They are available for study on the following microfilm rolls:4217 (1913 to 1919), 4218 (1927 to 1937), and 4219 (1943 and n.d.).For frame numbers consult the Calendar Index to the Pach papers,p. 141.1. Although Pach has long been recognized for his participation in theorganization of the Armory Show (see Milton W. Brown, TheStoryofthe ArmoryShow, 2nd ed. [New York:Abbeville Press, 1988], pp. 68-76), his writings have only recently been the subject of study (SandraS. Phillips, "TheArt Criticismof Walter Pach," ArtBulletinLXV[March1983]: 106-22), and the first retrospective exhibition of his and hiswife's paintings was held only two years ago (Exhibitionof the Art ofWalter ndMagdaPach[Youngstown, Ohio: ButlerInstitute of AmericanArt, Youngstown, 1988]). The important role he played in the pro-motion and acceptance of modern art in America, however, will bebetter understood through a more comprehensive review of his papers,which were only recently acquired by the Archives of American Art(see William McNaught, "Regional Report," Archives of American ArtJournal, 1988, 28:2, p. 34; William C. Agee, "Walter Pach and Mod-ernism: A Sampler from New York, Paris, and Mexico City," Archivesof American Art Journal, 1988, 28:3, pp. 2-10; and the exhibitioncatalogue DiscoveringModernism:SelectionsFromthe WalterPachPapers,with essays by William C. Agee and Nancy Malloy, Archives of Ameri-can Art, Smithsonian Institution, New York Regional Center, February15 - April 13, 1990).

2. Walter Pach, "Cezanne - An Introduction," Scribner's 4 (December1908): 765-68. On Pach's early interest in Cezanne, see John Rewald,Cezanne and America:Dealers, Collectors,Artistsand Critics(Princeton:Princeton UniversityPress, 1989), pp. 112-13, 121-22. Details of Pach'slife were derived from the articles by Phillips and Agee cited in note 1and from the autobiographical commentaries provided in Pach, QueerThing, Painting:Forty Years n the Worldof Art (New York: Harper &

Brothers, 1938). Additional information was supplied by Bennard B.Perlman, "Walter Pach (1883-1958) and Magda Pach (1884-1950),"in Art of Walterand MagdaPach, n. p.; and other references to Pach'sart and life were derived from the helpful chronology and biographicalnote compiled by Nancy Malloy for the Archives of American Art.3. Walter Pach, RaymondDuchamp-Villon, culpteur,1876-1918 (Paris:Jacques Provolozky, 1924).4. Pach, QueerThing, Painting, p. 156.5. Jacques Villon and Raymond Duchamp-Villon's letters to Pach arealso preserved in the Pach Papers at the Archives of American Art,microfilm rolls 4217, 4218, 4219 (for the precise frame numbers of theVillon letters see the Calendar Index, p. 150; for the Duchamp-Villonletters see p. 141 of the Index).6. Duchamp spent the month of August at Lynton College in HerneBay with his sister Yvonne, who went there to prepare for a degree inEnglish.7. Frederick C. Torrey (1864-1935), who had purchased Duchamp'sNude Descendinga Staircase rom the Armory Show for $324, was partowner of the antiques and frame shop Vickery, Atkins &Torreyin SanFrancisco. On the occasion of this visit to Duchamp's studio, the artistgave Torreya preparatorysketch for the Nude,a drawing entitled Encorea cetAstre(Philadelphia Museum of Art), which he inscribed: "A Mon-sieur F. C. Torrey / tres cordialement, / Marcel Duchamp. / 13." Theprovenance and early exhibition history of Duchamp's Nude is thesubject of an article I am currently preparing.8. The pictures included in this show were selected by Arthur B. Davies(see Aaron Sheon, "1913: Forgotten Cubist Exhibitions in America,"ArtsMagazine57 [March 1983]: 104), but Pach's participation is doc-umented in a postcard he sent to Walter Arensberg, wherein he refersto this show as "our exhibition" (November 30, 1913, Arensberg Ar-chives, Philadelphia Museum of Art). All three catalogues for this showarepreserved in Pach's library(partof the Pach Papers):ListofPaintingsPresentedby the Art Societyof Pittsburgh Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh,

47


14/16

December 1-31, 1913); Exhibitionof Paintingsand Drawings (MontrossGallery,New York,February2-23, 1914); and SpecialExhibition:ModernDepartures n Painting; "Cubism" "Futurism" Etc. (Art Museum, Cin-cinnati, March 19 - April 5, 1914). Pach'slibrary s unfilmed; a completecard file of its contents is available at the Archives' New York Regionaloffice.9. "'Modern Art' Show Opens at Montross," clipping, newspaper andauthor unknown, February4, 1914, Pach Papers,microfilm roll 4221.10. In his autobiography, Pach claimed this letter was addressed "ToWhom it May Concern" (QueerThing, Painting,p. 218), but no letterof this description is preserved in the Pach Papers.A calling card signedby President Roosevelt, dated March 5th, 1904, was kept by Pachthroughout his life, probably a memento given to him by his father,whose firm had earlier been commissioned to take photographs ofRoosevelt and his family (see Pach's correspondence with his parents,Pach Papers, microfilm roll 4216, frames 179-84, 741; informationkindly provided by Nancy Malloy).11. Raymond Pach, named after Raymond Duchamp-Villon, was bornabout three weeks earlier, on December 26, 1914.12. Upon the declaration of war, Villon was called to serve in theTwenty-first Infantry Regiment; in October 1914, he was sent to thefront, where he took part in the battle of the Somme.13. Yvonne Duchamp-Villon [nde Bon] was the wife of RaymondDuchamp-Villon.14. Here Duchamp is referringto Gabrielle Boeuf, the wife of JacquesVillon.15. Duchamp suffered from a slight rheumatic heart disorder, usuallynot a very serious illness, but one that would have prevented hisenlistment.16. He is here probably referringto the coloration given to the 9 MalicMolds(1914-1915, Private Collection, Paris).17. Pach met the Rumanian sculptor Constantin Brancusiin Pariswhenhe was organizing the Armory Show in 1912. Brancusi's letters to Pach,1912-1917, are preserved in the Pach Papers, microfilm roll 4217 (seethe Calendar Index, pp. 139-40, for frame numbers).18. The watercolor Duchamp refers to must have been Dark Skin (1910,Philadelphia Museum of Art), which was purchased from the CarrollGalleries in January 1915 by John Quinn. See Judith Zilczer, "TheNobleBuyer."John Quinn,PatronoftheAvant-GardeWashington, D.C.:Smithsonian Institution Press, 1978), p. 156.19. Raymond Duchamp-Villon acknowledges having received this ma-terial in his letter to Pach dated February 26 [1915], Pach Papers,microfilm roll 4217, frames 222-23.20. See the catalogue HenriMatisseExhibition(Montross Gallery,Janu-ary20 - February27, 1915); and WalterPach, "Why Matisse?," CenturyMagazineLXXXIX February 1915): 633-36.21. The pieces of glass Duchamp refers to are probablythe 9 MalicMolds,which he mentioned in the previous letter, and the GliderContainingaWaterMill in NeighboringMetals(1913-1915, Philadelphia Museum ofArt), the only two works on glass Duchamp completed before comingto the United States. The "top of my painting" must be a reference tothe full-scale sketch for the LargeGlass,which Duchamp drew directlyon the wall of his rue St. Hippolyte studio. The existence of this sketchwas first reported by Robert Lebel in MarcelDuchamp,trans. GeorgeHeard Hamilton (New York: Grove Press, 1959), p. 166, cat. no. 116;also see Pierre Cabanne, Dialogueswith MarcelDuchamp (New York:Viking Press, 1971), p. 37.22. Third Exhibition of Contemporary French Art (New York: CarrollGalleries, March 8 - April 3, 1915). The works were listed in thecatalogue as follows: no. 15, "Portrait";no. 16, "Chocolate GrinderI" (1913, now PhiladelphiaMuseum of Art); no. 17, "Chocolate GrinderII" (1914, Philadelphia Museum of Art); no. 18, "Chess-Players" (TheChessGame, 1910, Philadelphia Museum of Art); and no. 19, "Studyof a Girl"(probablyAproposofLittleSister,1911, Guggenheim Museum,New York). Two days after this exhibition closed, Quinn acquired TheChessGame for $500, and in May he purchased Aproposof Little Sister

from the CarrollGalleries for $150 (see Zilczer, "The NobleBuyer,"pp.85, 156). It is also known that in 1915, through Pach, Quinn alsoacquired Duchamp's Nude Descending StaircaseNo. 1, the preliminaryoil study on canvas for the infamous Nudeshown at the Armory Show(now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art), for $120 (see Zilczer,p. 86).23. The "small study for girl" is probably Aproposof LittleSister(Gug-genheim Museum), which, by the time Duchamp wrote this letter (April2 [1915]), Quinn had already purchased from the CarrollGalleries (seeprevious note). The other works Duchamp sent can be identified fromthe list provided later in this same letter (see note 25, below).24. Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes (1884-1974) was a French poet andpainter who met Duchamp through his brother Raymond. During the1910s he was a frequent visitor to Puteaux, where it is likely he metPach, and after 1918 he became a regular contributorto Dada activitiesin Paris. See Jean-Pierre Begot, ed., GeorgesRibemont-Dessaignes:an-ifestes,poemes, articles,projetsDada 1915-1930, and Dada-2: nouvelles,articles,theatre,chroniques itteraires 1919-1929), 2 vols. (Paris:ChampLibre, 1974 and 1978).25. This price list is written in Pach's hand. On the basis of the list thethree works Duchamp sent to Pach can be identified as follows: "nudedescending" is TheNudeDescending StaircaseNo. 1 (1911, now Phila-delphia Museum of Art), the preliminary study for this subject, whichPach must have sold almost immediately to Quinn (see note 22 above);"Virgin and bride" was The PassageFrom Virginto Bride (1912, nowMuseum of Modern Art, New York), the work Pach must have takenin exchange forthe "small study forgirl"and the one work by Duchampthat Pach would keep in his possession for the next thirty years; andthe "bachelor machine"-which earlier in this same letter Duchampdescribes as a "large drawing on board"--probably the lost work thatappearsin several photographs of Duchamp's studio (see the two imagesreproduced in Ecke Bonk, TheBox in A Valise:deouparMarcelDuchampou RroseSelavy:Inventoryof an Edition [New York: Rizzoli, 1989], p.239). This is probably the same drawing that was shown in the Ex-hibition of Modern Art, held at the Bourgeois Galleries from April 3to 29, 1916. Entitled "Celibate Utensil," no. 6 in the catalogue, it isthere mistakenly listed under paintings, but a reviewer correctly iden-tified the work as a drawing (see "More Modern Art at Bourgeois,"AmericanArt News XIV [April 8, 1916]: 3). The sculptures are worksby Raymond Duchamp-Villon.26. Thecatalogue Pach sent was entitled ExhibitionofPaintings,Drawingsand Sculpture,held at the Montross Galleryfrom March 23 to April 24,1915. Not only were Arthur B. Davies and Walt Kuhn represented inthis exhibition, but so were fifteen other American artists, includingMan Ray, whose painting War(A.D. MCMXIV)Philadelphia Museumof Art) and ink drawing Portraitof Adon Lacroix(Private Collection)were reproduced. It is likely that this was the first occasion Duchampwould have had to see reproductions of works by Man Ray, an artistwho-once Duchamp moved to New York-was to become one ofDuchamp's closest friends and collaborators.27. Duchamp actually left on June 5 (see letter of May 21, 1915).28. After their marriagein 1914, Pach's wife, Magda, worked for a fewyears in Brentano's Bookstore on Fifth Avenue; in one of his earlierletters to Duchamp, Pach must have suggested the possibility of em-ployment there.29. Arensberg's magazine is probably Others, he poetry journal editedby Alfred Kreymborg and backed financially by Arensberg. On theorganization of this venture see Kreymborg, Troubadour:An Autobiog-raphy (New York: Liveright, 1925), pp. 218-23.30. According to Alfred Kreymborg, upon Duchamp's arrival in NewYork he was immediately "domiciled with a friend, a scholarly gentle-man who knows New Yorkand the ways of New York"("Why MarcelDuchamps [sic] Calls Hash a Picture," BostonEveningTranscript,Sep-tember 18, 1915, p. 12). The "scholarly gentleman" to whom Krevm-borg refers was probably Pach, though within a few weeks, Duchampmoved into the Arensberg apartment at 33 West Sixty-seventh Street.Pach recalled his early association with the Arensbergs in a manuscriptentitled "The Politer, the Cutt'n'er" (ArensbergArchives, PhiladelphiaMuseum of Art), a review of an exhibition of the Arensberg Collection

48


15/16

at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1949 (a portion of which was publishedunder the title "Art Must Be Modern," AtlanticMonthly185 [May 1950]:44-48). On both Pach's and Duchamp's relationship with the Arens-bergssee FrancisM. Naumann, "Walter ConradArensberg:Poet, Patron,and Participantin the New York Avant-Garde, 1915-20," PhiladelphiaMuseum of Art Bulletin 76 (Spring 1980): 7.31. The photograph to which Duchamp refers was taken by Pach Broth-ers, the photography firmestablished by Pach's father and which is stillin operation to this day. The Duchamp portraitwas published in "Mar-cel Duchamp Visits New York," VanityFair, September 1915, p. 57.32. Frederic James Gregg was one of Quinn's closest friends in theseyears.Artcritic for the EveningSun,he served as chairman of the ArmoryShow's press committee and wrote the introduction to its catalogue.He also edited the pamphlet "For and Against:Viewson theInternationalExhibition held in New York and Chicago" (New York: Association ofAmerican Painters and Sculptors, 1913); and later he became one ofthe main contributors to VanityFair. The painter Walt Kuhn was alsoone of the organizers of the Armory Show, and during these years heserved as one of Quinn's principal advisers on artpurchases. The younglady whose name Duchamp does not recall may have been JeanneRobert Foster, who was Quinn's closest female companion.33. On the society and its first exhibition see Francis M. Naumann,"'The Big Show,' The First Exhibition of the Society of IndependentArtists, 1917," PartI, ArtforumXVII(February 1979): 34-39; and "TheCritics," Part II, ArtforumXVII (April 1979): 49-53. For more specificinformation on the controversy surrounding Duchamp's FountainseeWilliam A. Camfield, MarcelDuchamp:Fountain (Houston: The MenilCollection, 1989). Yearslater, in response to a comment published byAlfred Barr, Pach explained his reasons for why the Society of Inde-pendent Artists chose not to exhibit the urinal (see below, note 47).34. Raymond Duchamp-Villon actually died some weeks earlier, onOctober 9, 1918.35. The only study for the glass that Duchamp completed while livingin Buenos Aires was To be Lookedat [Fromthe Other Side of the Glass]with OneEye,Closeo,forAlmostan Hour(1918, now Museum of ModernArt, New York). In a letter to Jean Crotti dated October 26, 1918, hereports that he has begun this work, which he plans to carry over tothe LargeGlass when he returns to New York (see FrancisM. Naumann,"Affectueusement, Marcel: Ten Letters from Marcel Duchamp to Suz-anne Duchamp and Jean Crotti," Archives of American Art Journal,1982, 22:4, p. 11).36. Ignacio Zuloaga Y Zaboleta (1870-1945) was a relatively mediocreSpanish genre painter, who had experienced considerable popularityduring the war years in both America and in Europe (see E. LaufuenteFerrari,La Viday el arte de IgnacioZuloaga[San Sebastian, 1950]; andChristianBrinton, ExhibitionofPaintingsby IgnacioZuloaga,with a pref-ace by John S. Sargent [New York:Redfield-Kendrick-OdellCo., 1916]).Hermenegildo Anglada-Camarasa (1873-1959) was a Spanish painterwho had been a friend of Picasso's and was well known for his scenesof nocturnal Parisian life; he was especially popular in Argentina, hav-ing won a gold medal in Buenos Aires at the International Exhibitionof 1910 (see S. Hutchinson Harris, The Art of H. Anglada-Camarasa;AStudyin ModernArt [London: Leicester Galleries, 1929], p. 20).37. Duchamp's desire to organize this exhibition is also expressed inhis letters to Walter Arensberg and to his friend and future brother-in-law Jean Crotti (Duchamp to Arensberg, November 8, 1918, DuchampArchives, Francis Bacon Foundation, Claremont, California, publishedin Francis M. Naumann, "Marcel Duchamp's Letters to Walter andLouise Arensberg, 1917-1921," Dada/Surrealism,no. 16 [Iowa City:University of Iowa, 1988], pp. 208-09; and Duchamp to Crotti, datedOctober 26, 1918, Crotti Papers, Archives of American Art, in Nau-mann, "Affectueusement, Marcel," p. 11). Henri-Martin Barzun (1881-1973) was a French poet who, apparently, never responded to Du-champ's request for assistance in the organization of this exhibition.And Marius de Zayas (1880-1961) was a Mexican caricaturistwho, in1915, opened the Modern Gallery,envisioned as a commercial offshootof Alfred Stieglitz's 291.38. VictorLucien Guirand de Scevola (1874-1950) was a Frenchpainter

known for his portraits, genre scenes and landscapes of Versailles. Heis the same painter Duchamp referred to in similarly disparagingtermsin a letter written to Jean Crotti from Buenos Aires some seven monthsearlier (October 26, 1918, Crotti Papers, printed in Naumann, "Affec-tueusement, Marcel," p. 11).39. On Dada activities in New York at this time see FrancisM. Naumann,"The New York Dada Movement: Better Late Than Never," ArtsMag-azine 54 (February 1980): 143-49.40. GeorgesSeurat (New York: Duffield & Co., 1923) and Duchamp-Villon,sculpteur.41. The Mastersof ModernArt (New York: B.W. Huebsch, 1924), pp.87-88.42. On June 7, 1927, Duchamp married twenty-five year old JeanneLydie Marie Louise Irene Sarazin-Levassor (d. 1988), the daughter ofa wealthy French automobile manufacturer. Although he tells Pachthat he hopes the marriagewill continue, it was to end in divorce onlysix months later. Lydie Sarazin-Levassorrecalled her marriage to Du-champ in "Le Recit de Lydie," published in Rrosopopees, o. 19-20(Warelwast [Yvetot], March 1989), pp. 472-508.43. Alexander and Florence Bing were collectors of modern art whoowned several important works by Odilon Redon, one of which-Pandora-was left to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York(see Charles Sterling and MargarettaM. Salinger, FrenchPaintings,aCatalogue f the Collection f theMetropolitanMuseumofArt, 3 vols. [NewYork:Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1967], 3: 11).44. The only work by Duchamp shown in this exhibition was To beLookedat [From the Other Side of the Glass]With One Eye, Close o, forAlmostan Hour (Museum of Modern Art, New York), a work whichwas then owned by Katherine Dreier (it was lent to the exhibitionunder the title DisturbedBalance,see Alfred Barr, ed. ModernWorksofArt: Fifth AnniversaryExhibition[New York: Museum of Modern Art,November 1934]; item no. 164, pp. 35-36). Barr probably met Du-champ for the first time in the fall of 1926 at the Brancusi show thatDuchamp arranged for the Brummer Gallery (see Rona Roob, "AlfredH. Barr,Jr.: a Chronicleof the Years 1902-1929," New Criterion,pecialissue [Summer 1987], p. 11).45. This is the painting acquired by John Quinn through Pach in 1915(see note 22 above). In actuality, it was purchased by Galka Scheyerfrom EarlHorter of Philadelphia in 1935. Scheyer, with the interventionof other intermediaries (including John Davis Hatch, Jr., and Duchampas well), sold it immediately to the Arensbergs. Unfortunately, she seemsto have handled the sale badly and, as a result, her friendship with theArensbergs was ruptured (see Amy Baker Sandback, "Blue HeightsDrive," ArtforumXXVIII [March 1990]: 124, 126, n. 5; from infor-mation provided by Naomi Sawelson-Gorse, who is in the process ofpreparing an article on Duchamp's continuing relationship with theArensbergs during their Hollywood years).46. The "book" Duchamp refers to is his La MarideMise a Nu Par SesCelibataires,Meme,a facsimile edition of his manuscript notes for theLargeGlass.47. Handwritten draft of a letter to Alfred Barr,undated and unsigned(although the handwriting can clearly be identified as that of WalterPach); the final draft of this letter is dated January 18, 1937, and issigned by John Sloan. Barr'sresponse is dated January 23, 1937, andPach's rejection of the apology is dated April 15, 1937 (all letters pre-served in the John Sloan Collection, Delaware Art Museum, Wil-mington). For the works shown in Barr's exhibition see AlfredH. Barr,ed., FantasticArt, Dada, Surrealism New York:Museum of Modern Art,1936), p. 250. When Barrsought Duchamp's help in the organizationof this exhibition, Duchamp was reportedly "interested in the problemas if it were chess, but dispassionate about the outcome" (see MargaretScolari Barr, "Our Campaigns," New Criterion, pecial issue [Summer1987], pp. 45-46).48. Alfred Barr's wife recalls that after the war, Duchamp called Barrsporadicallyto ask him "to come over and look at what he was workingon" (Margaret Scolari Barr, "Our Campaigns," p. 46). For a generalbiography of Barr see Alice GoldfarbMarquis, AlfredH. Barr, Jr.: Mis-

49


16/16

sionary for the Modern (New York: Contemporary Books, 1989); onBarr's role in securing Duchamp's passage to America, see the sameauthor'sbiography of Duchamp:MarcelDuchamp:Eros,c'est a vie (Troy:Whitston, 1981), p. 265. Curiously, although written by the sameauthor, neither one of these biographies mentions the temporary riftthat occurred between Barrand Duchamp.49. The "album" Duchamp refers to is the Boite-en-Valise,he portablemuseum consisting of miniaturized replicas of his most importantworkof the previous twenty-five years, a project which he began in 1935but did not complete until 1941 (on the conception and design of thiswork see Bonk, TheBox in A Valise).50. Published by Harper& Brothers (see note 2 above), for referencesto Duchamp, see pp. 147-63; also see review by E. A. Jewell, New YorkTimes,Book Review Section, December 4, 1938, p. 6..51. Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was a famous French clothing de-signer best known for her extravagant,daring, and sometimes amusingdesigns. The exhibition to which Duchamp refers was First Papers ofSurrealism, October 14 - November 7, 1942, which was organized bySchiaparelli for the Coordinating Council of French Relief Societies.Duchamp designed the layout for the exhibition Sixteen Miles of String(see Arturo Schwarz, The CompleteWorksof MarcelDuchamp,2nd rev.ed. [New York:HarryN. Abrams, 1970], p. 515; see also Schiaparelli'sautobiography, ShockingLife [New York: E. P. Dutton, 1954], pp. 167-68).52. On Kiesler'sdesign forthis gallerysee CynthiaGoodman, "FrederickKiesler: Designs for Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century Gallery,"ArtsMagazine51 (June 1977): 90-95.53. Mary Reynolds was an American war widow who moved to Parisin the early 1920s. Until the time of her death in 1950, she was oneof Duchamp's closest female friends (see GoldfarbMarquis, Eros, c'estla vie, pp. 227-28, 241-44).54. Wolfgang Paalen (1905-1959), an Austrian painter who settled inParis during the 1930s and became an important member of the Sur-realistgroup, went into exile in Mexico in 1939 and, in 1940, togetherwith the poet Cesar Moro and Andre Breton, organized the Interna-tional Exhibition of Surrealism (a show in which Duchamp was rep-resented only by reproductions of his work; see Exposicionnternacionaldel Surrealismo,Galeriade Arte Mexicano, Mexico City, January - Feb-ruary, 1940). Benjamin Peret (1899-1959) was a French poet of radicalpoliticalpersuasion who was expelled from Brazil n 1931 forsubversiveactivities, and who spent the war years in exile in Mexico.55. Walter Pach, TheArtMuseum n America: tsHistoryandAchievement(New York: Pantheon, 1948), p. 100.

sionary for the Modern (New York: Contemporary Books, 1989); onBarr's role in securing Duchamp's passage to America, see the sameauthor'sbiography of Duchamp:MarcelDuchamp:Eros,c'est a vie (Troy:Whitston, 1981), p. 265. Curiously, although written by the sameauthor, neither one of these biographies mentions the temporary riftthat occurred between Barrand Duchamp.49. The "album" Duchamp refers to is the Boite-en-Valise,he portablemuseum consisting of miniaturized replicas of his most importantworkof the previous twenty-five years, a project which he began in 1935but did not complete until 1941 (on the conception and design of thiswork see Bonk, TheBox in A Valise).50. Published by Harper& Brothers (see note 2 above), for referencesto Duchamp, see pp. 147-63; also see review by E. A. Jewell, New YorkTimes,Book Review Section, December 4, 1938, p. 6..51. Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was a famous French clothing de-signer best known for her extravagant,daring, and sometimes amusingdesigns. The exhibition to which Duchamp refers was First Papers ofSurrealism, October 14 - November 7, 1942, which was organized bySchiaparelli for the Coordinating Council of French Relief Societies.Duchamp designed the layout for the exhibition Sixteen Miles of String(see Arturo Schwarz, The CompleteWorksof MarcelDuchamp,2nd rev.ed. [New York:HarryN. Abrams, 1970], p. 515; see also Schiaparelli'sautobiography, ShockingLife [New York: E. P. Dutton, 1954], pp. 167-68).52. On Kiesler'sdesign forthis gallerysee CynthiaGoodman, "FrederickKiesler: Designs for Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century Gallery,"ArtsMagazine51 (June 1977): 90-95.53. Mary Reynolds was an American war widow who moved to Parisin the early 1920s. Until the time of her death in 1950, she was oneof Duchamp's closest female friends (see GoldfarbMarquis, Eros, c'estla vie, pp. 227-28, 241-44).54. Wolfgang Paalen (1905-1959), an Austrian painter who settled inParis during the 1930s and became an important member of the Sur-realistgroup, went into exile in Mexico in 1939 and, in 1940, togetherwith the poet Cesar Moro and Andre Breton, organized the Interna-tional Exhibition of Surrealism (a show in which Duchamp was rep-resented only by reproductions of his work; see Exposicionnternacionaldel Surrealismo,Galeriade Arte Mexicano, Mexico City, January - Feb-ruary, 1940). Benjamin Peret (1899-1959) was a French poet of radicalpoliticalpersuasion who was expelled from Brazil n 1931 forsubversiveactivities, and who spent the war years in exile in Mexico.55. Walter Pach, TheArtMuseum n America: tsHistoryandAchievement(New York: Pantheon, 1948), p. 100.

A version of this article was presented as a paper for the symposium"Roses, Too: Sixty Years of Labor Art Programs," organized by theMidwest Regional Office of the Archives of American Art, SmithsonianInstitution, and cosponsored by the College of Urban, Labor,and Met-ropolitan Affairs,Wayne State University;its affiliatearchives, the Wal-ter P. Reuther Library;and the Detroit Institute of Arts on February24, 1990, in Detroit, Michigan. This symposium was made possible, inpart, through grants from the Smithsonian Institution and from theMichigan Council for the Humanities.

A version of this article was presented as a paper for the symposium"Roses, Too: Sixty Years of Labor Art Programs," organized by theMidwest Regional Office of the Archives of American Art, SmithsonianInstitution, and cosponsored by the College of Urban, Labor,and Met-ropolitan Affairs,Wayne State University;its affiliatearchives, the Wal-ter P. Reuther Library;and the Detroit Institute of Arts on February24, 1990, in Detroit, Michigan. This symposium was made possible, inpart, through grants from the Smithsonian Institution and from theMichigan Council for the Humanities.

I UUUUUU

I UUUUUU

0zW4F4

0zW4F4

T his article is part of a larger research project I haverecently undertaken on labor unions and art patronage.My intent is to look at the professional artists hired byunions, the cultural programs set up by unions, the workthat came out of these programs, and the activities ofartists as union members themselves. My interest in thistopic was prompted by an article in the October 1946issue of MagazineofArtby Walter Abell entitled "ArtandLabor," which reviewed the recent development of artpatronage within the organized labor movement. Abellhad great hopes for this patronage, particularly in theface of the demise of the art programs sponsored by theWorks Progress Administration of the federal govern-ment. He had also, a few months earlier, documentedthe rise of corporate patronage. While the corporate sidewas putting much more money and time into art activ-ities, Abell believed that if there was genuinely to be apeople's culture--and he certainly believed that thereshould be one--then "labor's budding art activitiesseem[ed] to offer one of the firmest cornerstones for its

T his article is part of a larger research project I haverecently undertaken on labor unions and art patronage.My intent is to look at the professional artists hired byunions, the cultural programs set up by unions, the workthat came out of these programs, and the activities ofartists as union members themselves. My interest in thistopic was prompted by an article in the October 1946issue of MagazineofArtby Walter Abell entitled "ArtandLabor," which reviewed the recent development of artpatronage within the organized labor movement. Abellhad great hopes for this patronage, particularly in theface of the demise of the art programs sponsored by theWorks Progress Administration of the federal govern-ment. He had also, a few months earlier, documentedthe rise of corporate patronage. While the corporate sidewas putting much more money and time into art activ-ities, Abell believed that if there was genuinely to be apeople's culture--and he certainly believed that thereshould be one--then "labor's budding art activitiesseem[ed] to offer one of the firmest cornerstones for its

500

*41

IIj

"Z~Z;TftXl

*41

IIj

"Z~Z;TftXl

duchamp letters

Documents