Further References to the Glass from À l'Infinitif (La Boîte Blanche) (In the Infinitive [The White Box])

Further References to the Glass from À l'Infinitif (La Boîte Blanche) (In the Infinitive [The White Box]) is a seminal illustrated book by the American artist Marcel Duchamp. Classified formally as an illustrated book, the work itself is a highly conceptual folder containing five collotype reproductions of manuscript notes. This specific collection of documents relates directly to Duchamp’s magnum opus, The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even, commonly known as the Large Glass. Although the conceptual materials date from the critical period of 1912 to 1920, this meticulous boxed edition was published later in 1966, ensuring the longevity and dissemination of the artist's foundational thoughts.

Duchamp meticulously utilized this folder format to archive and present the theoretical underpinnings of his most ambitious projects. The manuscript notes, reproduced through high-quality collotype prints, document the complicated physics, specialized mechanics, and philosophical ideas necessary to understand the symbolism embedded in the Large Glass. These notes often involved mathematical calculations, linguistic games, and diagrams that served as instructions and justifications rather than traditional artistic sketches. The designation La Boîte Blanche (The White Box) highlights its function as a pristine archival structure, intentionally juxtaposing the delicate, almost scientific approach of the notes with the final artistic object they describe. This elevation of preparatory documentation to the status of finished art epitomizes Duchamp's revolutionary approach to conceptualism and profoundly influenced subsequent generations of artists working in the American scene.

As a key document in the history of 20th-century conceptualism, this piece reflects Duchamp's decisive shift away from retinal painting toward ideas and language. Its delayed publication, with conceptual work spanning 1912–20, published 1966, underscores the enduring intellectual weight of his methodologies long after the initial creation phase. The work contributes significantly to the understanding of conceptual art and is preserved in the authoritative collection of the Museum of Modern Art.