Fresh Widow

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Miniature French window comprised of a wooden frame and "panes" of waxed black leather.

Artist Marcel Duchamp (French, 1887–1968)

Title Fresh Widow

Date 1964 edition (after 1920 original)

Medium Painted wood, leather, and and glass

Dimensions Overall: 30 1/2 x 20 7/8 x 3 5/16 in. (77.5 x 53 x 8.4 cm)

Credit Line Partial gift of Mrs. William H. Conroy, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 71.37.12

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About this Work

The title of this work, referring to the large number of recently widowed women in the aftermath of World War I, is a wordplay on “French window,” a glass-paned double door. The black leather covering the panes may symbolize mourning. Although described as a readymade, Fresh Widow was constructed by a carpenter according to Duchamp’s specifications. “Rrose Selavy,” mentioned in the inscription, was a female alter-ego Duchamp cultivated, aligning here with the feminine orientation of this work.

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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Fresh Widow | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=71.37.12