Marcel Duchamp’s seminal Dadaist work, "Fountain," famously disappeared shortly after its 1917 debut at the Society of Independent Artists exhibition. To satisfy growing institutional demand and ensure the work's legacy, Duchamp authorized and oversaw the creation of several editions and replicas in the 1950s and 60s, which now reside in major museum collections worldwide.
This history highlights the shift from the unique physical object to the conceptual power of the artist's intent. By reproducing a mass-produced urinal as a high-art object multiple times, Duchamp challenged traditional notions of authenticity and provenance, effectively cementing the "readymade" as a cornerstone of contemporary art history.