LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Descriptive Title:

Branch with Three Leaves and Two Offshoots

Themes:

Fabric Works, Nature

Techniques:

Drypoint

Description:

Drypoint, with red watercolor, red ink, and blue ink additions

Support:

Fabric

Dimensions:

plate: 6 9/16 x 6" (16.6 x 15.3 cm); sheet: 10 1/8 x 9 1/16" (25.7 x 23 cm)

Signature:

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

Publisher:

unpublished

Printer:

Harlan & Weaver, New York

Edition:

1 known impression of state I

Impression:

Not numbered

Edition Information:

This composition appears only once in the editioned series, in portfolio (5). It is not included in portfolios (1-4, 6).

The editioned series of portfolios, "Les Arbres" (1-6), is not a traditional edition in that each portfolio is unique. Varying compositions, hand additions, and sheet sizes occur throughout the portfolios. Portfolio (1) includes 10 compositions, while portfolios (2-6) each contain 8 compositions.

Included in all 6 portfolios are 5 specific drypoint compositions that appear in the same order. However, the states of these compositions, and their hand additions, vary.

Portfolio (1) is different from all the others in the series, not only because it includes 10 compositions, but also because 5 of the 10 compositions are drawings. The drypoints are the same 5 compositions noted above as being in every portfolio; the drawings are new compositions entirely.

Portfolios (2-6) each contain 3 drypoint compositions on fabric, in addition to the 5 drypoint compositions noted above. The drypoint compositions on fabric vary from portfolio to portfolio.

State Changes and Additions:

Additions in blue ink: third leaf on lower left branch, anticipating state II.

MoMA Credit Line:

Gift of the artist

MoMA Accession Number:

46.2012

© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY