Cat. No. 6a/II
Untitled, plate 3 of 9, from the illustrated book, Ode à Ma Mère
- State/Variant:
- State II of III
- Date:
- 1995
- Descriptive Title:
-
English translation: "Ode to My Mother"
- Themes:
- Spiders
- Techniques:
- Drypoint
- Description:
- Drypoint
- Support:
- Slightly textured, laid Dieu Donné paper
- Dimensions:
- plate: 8 9/16 x 6 1/4" (21.7 x 15.9 cm); sheet: 11 x 8 1/16" (28 x 20.5 cm)
- Signature:
- Not signed
- Publisher:
- unpublished
- Printer:
- The artist
- Edition:
- 1 known impression of state II
- Impression:
- Not numbered
- Edition Information:
- Proof before the editioning of state III.
- State Changes and Additions:
- Changes from state I in drypoint: legs slightly reinforced.
- Background:
- This project was conceived for Les Éditions du Solstice, a Parisian illustrated book society, under the direction of Jean-Claude Meyer. Bourgeois also contributed a frontispiece, “Spiraling Eyes,” to another of their publications: "Les Éditions du Solstice: Annuaire de la Décennie, 1989-1999," a volume documenting the activities of the society. Les Éditions du Solstice was founded under French law in 1901 to promote book collecting, and it publishes a limited edition, illustrated literary work every year or so. The maximum edition is 120 and copies are distributed to members. Other examples of their literary works include "La Nouvelle chute de l’Amérique" by Allen Ginsberg, with illustrations by Roy Lichtenstein, and "Sans Titre" by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, with illustrations by Markus Lüpertz.
Harlan & Weaver gave this blue paper, handmade by Dieu Donné, to Bourgeois in the mid-1990s as a gift. The color matches that of Bourgeois's favorite stationery at that time. Some sheets, but not including this one, feature a custom watermark designed after a wax stamp of Bourgeois's initials. - Author Information:
- Jean-Claude Meyer, of Les Éditions du Solstice, suggested that the project be a collaboration between Bourgeois and a writer. Bourgeois preferred to provide her own text written specifically for this project.
- MoMA Credit Line:
- Gift of the artist
- MoMA Accession Number:
- 623.1996
- This Work in Other Collections:
- Cleveland Museum of Art, OH
Kunstmuseum Bern, Switzerland
Maier Museum of Art, Randolph College, VA
Tate Modern, London
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY
Untitled, plate 3 of 9, from the illustrated book, Ode à Ma Mère
1995
Source
1994
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION
Spider
Watercolor, pencil, and gouache on paper
1994
Watercolor, pencil, and gouache on paper
1994
States
State I of III
1995
1995
State II of III
1995
1995
State III of III, variant
1995
1995
Published
State III of III
1995
1995
Published
State III of III
1995
1995
Illustrated Book
1995
Portfolio
1995
-
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION
-
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION
