Paris-based auction house Artcurial set a new world auction record for a painting by Marcel Duchamp during its June 6 Impressionist and Modern Art sale in Paris. Duchamp’s “Nu sur nu (Nude on Nude),” 1910-11, a 61cm by 51cm oil on panel work, sold for €1,243,000 ($1,417,020), smashing the pre-sale estimate of €500,000-700,000 ($555,000-775,000).“Nu sur nu” was consigned by the international, independent medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). The proceeds from the painting — which was left to MSF by the widow of renowned art publisher Arnold Fawcus, a close friend of Marcel Duchamp — will go towards the financing of humanitarian aid.Classified as a national treasure by the French state, “Nu sur nu” was exhibited at the Centre Pompidou’s 2014 Marcel Duchamp retrospective. This important work was painted just months before the artist’s Cubist masterpiece “Nu descendant l’escalier (Nude Descending a Staircase),” 1912, which was exhibited at the New York Armory Show the following year.According to Bruno Jaubert, Director of Artcurial’s Impressionist and Modern art department, “Nu sur nu” represents “an important step in the evolution of Marcel Duchamp’s work. At this time, he moved away from Fauvism and was influenced by Symbolism. Being classed as a national treasure is an additional mark of quality for this painting, which is already quite remarkable due to its provenance.” He added that they were “thrilled that the money will be able to serve the needs of Doctors Without Borders.”
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