Marcel Duchamp

French painter, sculptor, and writer, born 28 July 1887, Blainville-Crevon - died 2 October 1968, Neuilly-sur-Seine. He was associated with Cubism, Dadaism and Surrealism, though he avoided any alliances. Duchamp's work is characterized by humor, a wide variety of unconventional media and its incessant probing of the boundaries of art. His legacy includes the insight that art can be about ideas instead of worldly things, a revolutionary notion that would resonate with later generations of artists.