Duchamp's painting is an exact replica of the Mona Lisa, with a moustache

It will form part of its Paris: Arts Capital 1900-1968 exhibition, which opens on 26 January.

Duchamp painted the picture in 1919 as an exact replica of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa but with a small moustache added in.

It is titled LHOOQ, which when said quickly in French is said to sound like "she is hot in the derriere".

The artist, who died in 1968, was a founder member of the Dadaist Society of Independent Artists, which intended to ridicule the established concept of art.

He is credited with inventing "ready-made" art - everyday objects which he claimed ownership of and displayed as artwork.

Communist Party President Robert Hue plans to visit the exhibition

His most famous work, Fountain, was actually just a urinal.

Towards the end of his life he recreated some of the works to go on display as reproductions.

An exhibition at the Philadelphia Art Museum, respected the artist's wishes by only allowing the public to view the works through a peephole.

Other artists included in the forthcoming exhibition at the Royal Academy include Matisse, Leger, Picasso, Miro and Dali.