Through The Large Glass: Richard Hamilton’s Reframing of Marcel Duchamp

Abstract

Combining art historical and technical perspectives, this paper examines Richard Hamilton’s 1965–6 reconstruction of Marcel Duchamp’s Large Glass and the wider repercussions that Hamilton’s actions have had on our understanding of replication and the idea of authorship. The dramatic history of the work is unpacked thoroughly and provides a platform for thinking about the precariousness of materials and meanings, and the slippages that occur when replicas become part of the story of a work, an artist and an institution.

Keywords

• Richard Hamilton
• Marcel Duchamp
• Large Glass
• replication
• authorship