LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Alternate Title:

Watershed

Descriptive Title:

Rivers of France

Themes:

Nature

Techniques:

Engraving, Relief

Description:

Engraving, printed in relief

Support:

Smooth, wove Somerset paper

Dimensions:

composition: 13 15/16 x 14 3/16" (35.4 x 36 cm); sheet: 22 3/16 × 21 7/8" (56.3 × 55.5 cm)

Signature:

Not signed

Publisher:

unpublished

Printer:

Harlan & Weaver, New York

Edition:

3 known impressions of state II, outside the edition

Impression:

Not numbered

Edition Information:

Proof before the editioning of state II.

The third known impression of this state is in MoMA's Collection (Accession Number: 1617.2012). It is not illustrated, due to its similarity to the impression seen here.

State Changes and Additions:

Changes from state I, in engraving: composition further delineated.

Background:

Proximity to rivers was of importance to the Bourgeois family's tapestry restoration business. This connection to rivers remained with the artist long after her childhood and inspired a number of projects, including "Ode à la Bièvre" and "Point d'ironie," both seen in Related Works in the Catalogue below.

Other Remarks:

According to Felix Harlan, of Harlan & Weaver, New York, Bourgeois's map compositions stem from her desire to sort through memories and associations with different places. The artist used preexisting maps as references for her own abstracted compositions, excluding the information essential to map reading. In this way, the maps served more as personal documents for the artist, rather than as references or guides.

This composition was executed on a scrap metal plate found in Bourgeois's basement studio. The plate was engraved and printed in relief because the lead material was too soft to withstand the heavy pressure of the press.

The artist first had test printings made of two potential plates to see their texture. A smaller plate was printed on both sides and was rejected for use. A test printing of a larger plate was deemed satisfactory, and the artist proceeded with the composition on that plate, seen here.

MoMA Credit Line:

Gift of the artist

MoMA Accession Number:

646.1996

© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY