A readymade is a term used in art to describe a found object that has been transformed into a work of art simply by being selected and presented by an artist. The term was first introduced by the French artist Marcel Duchamp in the early 20th century, as part of the Dada movement.

Duchamp created some of the most famous examples of readymades, including “Fountain”, a porcelain urinal that he signed with a pseudonym and submitted to an art exhibition in 1917. Duchamp believed that the act of selecting and presenting an object as art was more important than the object itself, and that by doing so, the artist could challenge traditional notions of art and the role of the artist.

Readymades can be any type of everyday object, from a bicycle wheel to a bottle rack, and can be presented in a variety of ways, from a simple display to a complex installation. The concept of the readymade has had a significant impact on modern and contemporary art, and has influenced a wide range of artistic movements, from pop art to conceptual art.