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LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Louise Bourgeois: Complete Books & Prints
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Cat. No. 506.1-2/diptych 3

Male and Female

State/Variant:
Diptych: Version 1 of 3, state II of VII, variant, and version 2 of 3, state VI of VIII, variant
Date:
2004
Themes:
Animals & Insects
Techniques:
Drypoint
Description:
left side (a): drypoint, with red and pink watercolor, blue ink, and pencil additions; right side (b): drypoint, with red and pink watercolor additions
Support:
Paper
Dimensions:
plate (each): 13 7/8 x 9 15/16" (35.2 x 25.3 cm); sheet: 14 1/2 x 10 1/2" (36.8 x 26.7 cm)
Signature:
Right side (b):"Louise Bourgeois '04" lower right comp., pencil.
Publisher:
unpublished
Printer:
Harlan & Weaver, New York
Edition:
5 known diptychs, outside the edition
Impression:
Not numbered
Edition Information:
Proof before the editioning of Diptych 6, seen below in the Evolving Composition Diagram and comprising: left side (a): version 1, state VII, and right side (b): version 2, state VIII. This composition was also issued as a published edition at version 3, state II, titled "Le Chat."

Diptychs outside the edition are combinations of the first and second versions of this composition, at various states.
State Changes and Additions:
Left side (a): Version 1, state II, variant
Changes from version 1, state I, by burnishing: left side of right rear leg and lower half of tail removed.
Changes from version 1, state I, in drypoint: tail and right rear leg reconfigured with exposed anus; further delineation of fur on cat’s body; mammary glands delineated; composition reinforced overall.

Right side (b): Version 2, state VI, variant
Changes from version 1: version 1, state I composition inverted and transferred to a new, identically sized plate, in drypoint.
Changes from version 2, state V, in drypoint: composition reinforced overall.
Changes from version 2, state V, by burnishing: lower horizontal line refined.
Curatorial remarks: The watercolor additions obscure the drypoint and this impression could not be examined in person, making it difficult to determine if this is an impression of version 2, state VI or an intermediary state between version 2, state VI and version 2, state VII.
Curatorial Remarks:
The type of paper and plate dimensions of this impression could not be documented because this impression is not in MoMA's Collection and could not be examined in person. The plate dimensions are from the published impression on paper in MoMA’s Collection. The sheet dimensions were provided by the Louise Bourgeois Studio.

Although the development of the Male and Female diptych has been divided into first and second versions for clarity, Bourgeois worked on both plates concurrently.
Other Remarks:
According to printer Felix Harlan, the third, smaller version in the Evolving Composition Diagram was initially created as a test plate. Aquatint was being considered to add shading to the male cat. Ultimately, Bourgeois decided against aquatint for the shading, but she liked the compositional fragment on the test plate. She added the contour of the cat's body and editioned this version as "Le Chat" on handmade paper.

Male and Female
2001-2005

Source
2001

NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Female. 2001
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Female
Watercolor, ink, pencil, colored pencil, and white correction fluid on paper
2001

First Version

Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. c. 2001
Version 1 of 3, state I of VII, variant
c. 2001
Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. c. 2001
Version 1 of 3, state I of VII, variant
c. 2001
Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. 2001
Version 1 of 3, state I of VII, variant
2001
Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. c. 2003
Version 1 of 3, state II of VII
c. 2003
Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. c. 2003
Version 1 of 3, state II of VII, variant
c. 2003
Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. c. 2003
Version 1 of 3, state II of VII, variant
c. 2003
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Version 1 of 3, state II of VII, variant
2004
Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. 2004
Version 1 of 3, state IV of VII
2004
Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. 2004
Version 1 of 3, state V of VII
2004
Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. 2004
Version 1 of 3, state VI of VII
2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Female from Male and Female. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Version 1 of 3, state VI of VII, variant
2004

Second Version

Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. c. 2001
Version 2 of 3, state I of VIII, variant
c. 2001
Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. c. 2001
Version 2 of 3, state I of VIII, variant
c. 2001
Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. 2001
Version 2 of 3, state I of VIII, variant
2001
Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. c. 2003
Version 2 of 3, state II of VIII
c. 2003
Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. c. 2003
Version 2 of 3, state III of VIII, variant
c. 2003
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Version 2 of 3, state III of VIII, variant
2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Version 2 of 3, state III of VIII, variant
2004
Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. 2004
Version 2 of 3, state VI of VIII
2004
Louise Bourgeois. Male from Male and Female. c. 2004
Version 2 of 3, state VII of VIII
c. 2004

Diptych Version

Louise Bourgeois. Male and Female. 2001
Diptych: Version 1 of 3, state I of VII, variant, and version 2 of 3, state I of VIII
2001
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Male and Female. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Diptych: Version 1 of 3, state III of VII, variant, and version 2 of 3, state IV of VIII
2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Male and Female. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Diptych: Version 1 of 3, state II of VII, variant, and version 2 of 3, state VI of VIII, variant
2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Male and Female. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Diptych: Version 1 of 3, state II of VII, variant, and version 2 of 3, state III of VIII, variant
2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Male and Female. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Diptych: Version 1 of 3, state III of VII, variant, and version 2 of 3, state V of VIII
2004
Published Louise Bourgeois. Male and Female. 2005
Diptych: Version 1 of 3, state VII of VII, and version 2 of 3, state VIII of VIII
2005

Third Version

Louise Bourgeois. Le Chat. c. 2004
Version 3 of 3, state I of II
c. 2004
Published NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Le Chat. 2004
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Version 3 of 3, state II of II
2004