Get Discount 10% Off
Subscribe to our newsletters now and stay up-to-date with new arrivals, updates and deals.
MILLIONS OF TITLES TO CHOOSE FROM
Currency
Impossible: The Love Affair Between Marcel Duchamp and Maria Martins, and the Artwork It Inspired
"Tell me who your enemies are, so that I can help you to hate them." This was...
- $47.37 USD
$89.99 USD- $47.37 USD
- Unit price
- per
Please hurry! Only 142 left in stock
Couldn't load pickup availability
"Tell me who your enemies are, so that I can help you to hate them." This was a favorite line of the Brazilian sculptor Maria Martins (1894-1973), and likely how she greeted Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) at their first meeting, at the opening of an exhibition of her work in 1943.
The clandestine love affair that burned between these two artists for the remainder of the decade was fueled not only by romantic passion but also by a deep appreciation of each other's work. Some of the greatest of Martins's Surrealist sculptures were inspired by her relationship with Duchamp--including Impossible, whose title perhaps refers to their situation. (Martins was married to the Brazilian ambassador to the United States.) And it was during their affair that Duchamp--widely believed to have "retired" from art--secretly began his astonishing final work, which would be revealed only after his death. This work, the sculptural tableau Étant donnés, was heavily influenced by Martins: it takes formal cues from her work, and it was she who modeled for the startlingly realistic nude at its center.
This surprising story--highly readable yet meticulously researched, and abundantly illustrated with artworks and archival images--will affirm the importance of Maria Martins's tropically inflected Surrealism and challenge the perception of Duchamp as a purely cool and cerebral artist.
Author: Francis M. Naumann
Publisher: Abbeville Press
Published: 03/31/2026
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.60w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780789215291
About the Author
Naumann, Francis M.: - Francis M. Naumann is an art historian, curator, and former art dealer, specializing in Dada and Surrealism and, in particular, the work of Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray. He is the author of numerous books and exhibition catalogs, including New York Dada 1915-23 and Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Making Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Naumann was the first to write about the importance of Duchamp and Martins's love affair, more than thirty years ago.
The clandestine love affair that burned between these two artists for the remainder of the decade was fueled not only by romantic passion but also by a deep appreciation of each other's work. Some of the greatest of Martins's Surrealist sculptures were inspired by her relationship with Duchamp--including Impossible, whose title perhaps refers to their situation. (Martins was married to the Brazilian ambassador to the United States.) And it was during their affair that Duchamp--widely believed to have "retired" from art--secretly began his astonishing final work, which would be revealed only after his death. This work, the sculptural tableau Étant donnés, was heavily influenced by Martins: it takes formal cues from her work, and it was she who modeled for the startlingly realistic nude at its center.
This surprising story--highly readable yet meticulously researched, and abundantly illustrated with artworks and archival images--will affirm the importance of Maria Martins's tropically inflected Surrealism and challenge the perception of Duchamp as a purely cool and cerebral artist.
Author: Francis M. Naumann
Publisher: Abbeville Press
Published: 03/31/2026
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.60w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780789215291
About the Author
Naumann, Francis M.: - Francis M. Naumann is an art historian, curator, and former art dealer, specializing in Dada and Surrealism and, in particular, the work of Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray. He is the author of numerous books and exhibition catalogs, including New York Dada 1915-23 and Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Making Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Naumann was the first to write about the importance of Duchamp and Martins's love affair, more than thirty years ago.
Returns Policy
You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
Shipping
We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.