Color from À l'Infinitif (La Boîte Blanche) (In the Infinitive [The White Box])

Color from À l'Infinitif (La Boîte Blanche) (In the Infinitive [The White Box]), conceived by Marcel Duchamp starting in 1912, is not a traditional singular artwork but rather an important example of the artist's conceptual documentation, categorized specifically as an Illustrated Book. The piece consists of a folder housing ten collotype reproductions of Duchamp's original manuscript notes. These notes are critical documentation relating to his complex, multi-year projects, particularly the monumental piece known as The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass). The complexity of the work is highlighted by the inclusion of physical elements within the reproductions: one note is affixed with tape, and two others utilize pins, emphasizing the unique, object-like quality of the documentation itself.

The original conceptual phase for this collection spanned 1912 through 1920, placing it squarely within the pivotal period where Duchamp transitioned away from painting toward radical conceptual and anti-art expressions. Though the underlying manuscript notes date to this early avant-garde era, the final iteration, featuring high-quality collotype reproductions designed for dissemination, was formally published in 1966. This collection, alongside similar boxed works like The Green Box, functions as a crucial interpretive key to understanding Duchamp’s revolutionary approach to art production and linguistic philosophy. Reflecting his eventual relocation to the United States and subsequent naturalization, this pivotal body of work is categorized under American culture, demonstrating the foundational role Duchamp played in shaping global 20th-century artistic thought.

As an Illustrated Book composed of carefully produced prints, the format allowed Duchamp to disseminate his fundamental ideas widely, ensuring that his theoretical blueprints survived even if the original manuscripts were fragile or dispersed. The unique combination of intellectual rigor and material presentation confirms Duchamp's innovative disregard for traditional artistic boundaries. This singular and influential work, Color from À l'Infinitif (La Boîte Blanche), is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), affirming its status as a landmark of modern documentation.