LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Descriptive Title:

English translation: "Ode to the Bièvre"

Themes:

Fabric Works, Nature, Words

Techniques:

Lithography

Description:

Lithograph

Support:

Fabric

Dimensions:

sheet: 6 7/8 x 8 1/8" (17.5 x 20.6 cm)

Signature:

"LB" lower right sheet verso, black ink.

Publisher:

unpublished

Printer:

SOLO Impression, New York

Edition:

1 known impression of version 1, only state

Impression:

Not numbered

Edition Information:

Not issued as a published edition at any state.

Background:

The Bourgeois family moved to Antony after World War I, and the artist spent her childhood years there. They chose this location for its proximity to the Bièvre River, which contained tannin, an important ingredient in the setting of tapestry dyes for the family’s tapestry restoration business. The Bièvre River cut across the backyard of the property, which was beautifully planted by Bourgeois’s mother and father. In the early 1950s, the Bièvre was filled in. The artist’s relationship to the river and its surrounding gardens is the story behind the 2002 fabric book, "Ode à la Bièvre." See Related Works in the Catalogue below. In 2007, Bourgeois created an editioned version of the unique 2002 book.

Curatorial Remarks:

The artist took liberties with punctuation marks in her text compositions. The titles seen here reflect what is on the work and may not be grammatically correct.

Other Remarks:

According to Bourgeois’s assistant, Jerry Gorovoy, this impression was printed on two joined cuffs from one of the artist’s shirts. Buttonholes on the cuffs are visible on the left side.

© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY