Marcel Duchamp paid his dentist, Daniel Tzanck, with a hand-painted forged check in 1919, titled *Tzanck Check*. The work mimics a real bank check made out for $115, drawn on the fictitious “The Teeth’s Loan & Trust Company Consolidated.” Duchamp meticulously painted each letter to look printed, and the dentist—who was also a major art collector—never cashed it, recognizing its artistic value. The check is now a promised gift to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, with a 1938 reproduction held by M+ museum in Hong Kong.
This anecdote illuminates Duchamp’s continued exploration of readymade and conceptual art, blurring the line between everyday objects and fine art. It also highlights the role of collectors like Tzanck, who supported avant-garde movements such as Dada and Cubism. The story underscores how Duchamp’s playful subversion of commerce and authenticity remains central to understanding modern art’s evolution.