Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2

"Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2," created by Marcel Duchamp in 1912, is a seminal work that synthesizes elements of Cubism and Futurism to depict motion through a series of overlapping, fragmented forms. The painting gained notoriety at the 1913 Armory Show in New York, where its abstract representation of movement challenged traditional artistic conventions and provoked both critical acclaim and controversy.

"Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2" by Marcel Duchamp, created in 1912, is an oil on canvas that measures 147 cm by 89.2 cm and depicts a dynamic, abstracted figure in motion, characterized by overlapping, fragmented forms that suggest movement through space. The painting employs a monochromatic palette of browns and ochres, utilizing a Cubist-inspired approach to convey the sequential progression of the figure's descent, influenced by the contemporaneous interest in capturing motion and time.