Belle Voilette, 2002

The idea that the subject of the painting is less important than the way it is painted has been explored in his works since 1968, in particular in his decision to conspicuously invert his hero paintings, finger paintings, fracture paintings, and Russian paintings – which all deal with German history. The title "Belle Violet" refers to Marcel Duchamp and his alter ego Rrose Sélavy. Duchamp - in collaboration with Man Ray – produced a perfume bottle, showing himself dressed as a woman above the bottle’s label "Belle Haleine Eau de Violette“. In Baselitz’ large linocut series however, is the male protagonist Marcel Duchamp himself.