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[I have just written to Maeght...]

Letter dated 15 March 1947

Correspondence

Author

Author Marcel Duchamp
Letter to Elisa Claro Breton, André Breton
People cited Joseph Cornell, Enrico Donati, Francis Valentine Dudensing, Frederick John Kiesler, Julien Levy, Aimé Maeght, Man Ray, Dorothea Tanning, Remedios Varo, Max Ernst, Joan Miró, Piet Mondrian, Benjamin Péret, Alice Rahon-Paalen, Diego Rivera

Description

Letter from Marcel Duchamp addressed to André and Elisa Breton and dated 15 March 1947 about preparations for the exhibition planned for July at the Galerie Maeght.

Seven letters from Marcel Duchamp to André Breton, all related to the preparation of the exhibition Le Surréalisme en 1947 at the Galerie Maeght in Paris, which attest to the inexhaustible resources of this co-organiser and the amount of work he did in federating the entire network of surrealist friends on the other side of the Atlantic - from Miró to Max Ernst through Granell (whom he does not yet know) and many others. The 1947 exhibition at the Galerie Maeght was the result of a genuine team effort, both in the terms of organisation and creation: Duchamp discussed it with Kiesler before sending his suggestions to André Breton, giving all of his creativity to the way the rooms and altars might be organised without ever fixing an idea or imposing a determination. [Atelier André Breton website, 2005]

Exceptional set of 7 handwritten letters signed by Marcel Duchamp and sent to André Breton, all related to the preparation of the exhibition Le Surréalisme en 1947 at the Galerie Maeght in Paris.

Letter, dated 15 March 1947.
- 2 in-4 pages in ink from Duchamp of a letter dated 15 March 1947 (envelope retained) :

‘I’ve not corresponded much with Man Ray but I believe he sent you photos directly if not lithos. I propose to call it ‘room of superstition’ instead of ‘room of superstitions’ so we won't be criticised for forgetting some of the best. Kiesler and myself are very active. Kiesler has already drawn up the outline of this room, most things will be easy to send or find in Paris.’ [sale catalogue, 2003]

*This entry was translated from the French by Michael Richardson

Place of origin

Place of destination

Exhibition place