#Nude Descending a Staircase

[tygerland]

Marcel Duchamp Nu descendant un escalier n° 2. 1912. Oil on canvas: 147×89 cm (57×35 in).

[zegalba]

Shigeko Kubota: Nude Descending a Staircase (1976)

[jurdasparem]

Marcel Duchamp. Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2. 1912. Oil on canvas. 58" x 35"

[theaskew]

Karin Székessy (German 1939-2010), Treppe (à Marcel Duchamps) (Staircase [à Marcel Duchamps]) 2015.

[gerogerigaogaigar]

Shoutout to the best painting that the Futurist movement ever produced.

Dynamism Of A Dog On A Leash by Giacomo Balla

The Futurists were certified madlads who believed in basically three things.

1. The unstoppable nightmare of the mechanized war machine

2. Trains

3. All art should portray movement

While most Futurist works tried for all three bullet points Balla's magnum opus lies strictly within the third category. While many critics at the time compared it unfavorably to Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending A Staircase I think that this is a completely unfair analysis of Dynamism Of A Dog On A Leash. Rather Dog on A Leash feels more like a satirical response to Duchamp's Nude Descending A Staircase rather than a derivative work. Whether Balla meant the piece as a response is unknown to me but the contrast is still notable. Balla's piece rather than completely abstracting the subject opts for a style more reminiscent of the impressionists. The subject is not a classical subject as with Duchamp's Nude but thoroughly modern. The style of dress and even the style of dog are very contemporary and the impression is as if someone zoomed in on some minor detail of a Degas or Seurat painting. The movement is comical, the intense movement of the legs, tail, and leash alongside the minimal movement of the torso present the familiar image of a funny little dog furiously scampering and gaining very little ground for it. The perspective being so close to the dog brings to mind various cartoons (ones that did not exist yet when this was painted) where animal protagonists have unseen caretakers (Tom & Jerry, Cow & Chicken, various Looney Tunes shorts, etc...). Even the title invites humorous contrast Dynamism is such an intense and very Futurist kind of word, but the futurists were mainly painting trains and machines and violence. The use of such an intense title as Dynamism Of A Dog On A Leash coupled with a painting that displays exactly what the title says with little embellishment or fanfare contrasts cutely with Duchamp's extremely abstract and impenetrable piece having the very mundane title of Nude Descending A Staircase. So basically all I'm trying to say here is if you look at this painting and your first thought is "haha funny doggy" then you get it. A lot of early 20th century abstract art is meant to play upon the viewer's first impressions and Dynamism Of A Dog On A Leash is probably the purest incarnation of "haha funny doggy" that anyone has ever made.

Here's Nude Descending A Staircase for reference btw

[topoet]

Art Trash Toronto

I had been using my collection of ‘found’ art for ‘Picture Perfect’ posts. But there is still a sizeable backlog – some from the wonderful Craven Rd. fence. Others spotted in the trash! A few strategically place on people’s front porches. sunny trees sunny trees in the shade fishing fun Mr Robotoh! sunset or sunrise? the Rockies blue torso nude descending into the trash Hey! You can give…

[sixbucks]

[xpuigc-bloc]

Like Nude Descending a Staircase No.2 is one of the most striking paintings ive ever seen.

Marcel Duchamp

[anothermessagetoyou]

[lemuseum]

[topcat77]

Gjon Mili

Nude Descending Staircase, 1949

[cheddar-baby]

You know im all for The Fountain, i think its a masterpiece but i hope more non art people also know Duchamp for his other work. Like Nude Descending a Staircase No.2 is one of the most striking paintings ive ever seen.

[zegalba]

Gjon Mili: A Nude Descends a Staircase (1942)

[ornithorynquerouge]

Captivating Emily Agnes / Emily Shaw. Tribute to Marcel Duchamp “Nude Descending a Staircase ”

[balkanparamo]

Gjon Mili - Nude Descending A Staircase

[worldsandemanations]

Gjon Mili Nude Descending Staircase, 1949