LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Themes:

Body Parts, Fabric Works, Faces & Portraits, Figures, Motherhood & Family

Techniques:

Drypoint

Description:

Drypoint

Support:

Fabric

Dimensions:

plate: 4 15/16 x 3 3/8" (12.5 x 8.6 cm); sheet: 15 1/2 x 12 1/2" (39.4 x 31.8 cm)

Signature:

"LB" right lower margin, stitched in brown thread.

Publisher:

The artist

Printer:

Harlan & Weaver, New York

Edition:

4; plus 1 A.P.

Impression:

"No. 3/5" lower middle sheet verso, black ink, unknown hand.

Edition Information:

There is 1 known variant impression of state II, outside the edition. That impression is incorporated into the fabric collage, "Faith Hope Charity," included in the Evolving Composition Diagram below.

There are 3 known impressions of state I of this composition. One state I impression is included in the Evolving Composition Diagram below. The other two state I impressions of this composition are incorporated in two large fabric clock works: "Self Portrait," 2009 and "Nature Study," 2009. See Related Works in the Catalogue below.

The 3 known state I impressions of this composition are each titled "Female," whereas the state II impressions included in sets 2/5–5/5 and A.P. 1/1 of the "Self Portrait" series are each titled "Desire."

All 24 sheets that comprise set no. 1/5 are mounted on a single large table cloth and arranged in the formation of a clock. See the first work titled "Self Portrait" in Related Works in the Catalogue below. That composition includes, above the clock, at top left, one additional drypoint printed by Harlan & Weaver, New York, and at top middle and top right, two digital prints printed by Dyenamix, New York. Set nos. 2/5–5/5 and A.P. 1/1 do not include these three additional prints.

There are variations in the fabrics used in this edition, including scorching or staining, as is commonly found in the old fabrics Bourgeois chose to use as printing surfaces.

Dimensions vary slightly throughout the edition because of hemming and stretching fluctuations.

State Changes and Additions:

Changes from state I, in drypoint: baby added.

Background:

This series depicts the story of Bourgeois’s life. Beginning with an image of a young girl, it progresses through marriage and having children, and finally, to predominant themes in the artist's work.

Installation Remarks:

The 24 compositions that make up this series can be exhibited together or individually.

Curatorial Remarks:

There are no source drawings for this series, unlike for many of Bourgeois's prints.

MoMA Credit Line:

Gift of the artist

MoMA Accession Number:

110.2012.2

© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY