The artwork titled “To Have the Apprentice in the Sun” was created by Marcel Duchamp in 1914, during the artist’s time in Déville-lès-Rouen/Maromme/Déville, France. This piece, executed with pencil and ink on music paper, is associated with the Expressionism movement and fits within the figurative genre. The artwork is housed in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
This particular artwork by Duchamp portrays a bicycle race, an impression deftly captured through minimalistic lines and shading. The economy of stroke is notable, conveying the motion of the cyclist and the bicycle with an almost abstract simplicity. This minimalist approach allows the viewer to sense the movement and speed inherent in the activity depicted, emphasizing the expressionistic qualities of the piece. The work contains the handwritten phrase “avoir l’apprenti dans le soleil” – French for “to have the apprentice in the sun” – which might suggest a poetic or metaphorical layer to the piece, inviting interpretation of its significance. The use of music paper as a background adds a rhythmic dimension that complements the dynamic subject.
