Abstract: The ready-made works of Marcel Duchamp made it impossible to define art, which actually implied the possibility of “artistic freedom.” This was the new artistic principle determined by the ready-made, a principle that has established the modern art law “do whatever you want.” This law makes art a judicial “precedent” event. It only stipulates a form consistent with the universal, so its judgment is a reflective aesthetic judgment. By restoring the tradition of pan-art, Duchamp brought language art back into the category of fine art so that paintings once again served the human thought. This particular strategy of returning to the ancient times resulted from the spiritual baptismal of Nietzsche, Max Stirner and Greek philosophy, as well as the illumination by such writers as Stéphane Mallarmé, Raymond Roussel and Jules Laforgue. It was in this way that Duchamp created many of the most original ready-made works of the 20^th century.

Key words: the ready-made, do whatever you want; art law, judicial precedent, pan-art