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LOUISE BOURGEOIS: COMPLETE BOOKS & PRINTS

Louise Bourgeois: Complete Books & Prints
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Cat. No. 407/I

Dagger Child

State/Variant:
State I of IV
Date:
2001
Alternate Title:
The Dagger Child et Sa Mère
Themes:
Motherhood & Family, Objects
Techniques:
Drypoint
Description:
Drypoint, with red ink additions
Support:
Smooth, wove paper
Dimensions:
plate: 11 15/16 x 9 7/8" (30.3 x 25.1 cm); sheet: 15 9/16 x 11 1/8" (39.5 x 28.2 cm)
Signature:
"LB" lower right margin, red ink.
Publisher:
unpublished
Printer:
Harlan & Weaver, New York
Edition:
1 known impression of state I
Impression:
Not numbered
Edition Information:
Not issued as a published edition at any state.
State Changes and Additions:
Additions in red ink: small knife filled in, anticipating state II; handle of large knife reinforced, anticipating state II.
Background:
The two source drawings for "Dagger Child" are tracings of a knife that Bourgeois had in her home, according to her assistant Jerry Gorovoy. She also used tracings of common household objects in 2006 to develop the print series, “Lullaby.”
Artist’s Remarks:
"The Dagger Child is the child who is in the position to hurt you. He has the power to hurt the mother. The knife is like a little toy." (Quote cited in Meyer-Thoss, Christiane. "Louise Bourgeois: Designing for Free Fall." Zurich: Ammann Verlag, 1992, p. 180)

Inscribed on the verso of the source drawing: "The dagger child et sa mere."
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist
MoMA Accession Number:
1054.2008

Dagger Child
2001

Source
2001

NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. Untitled. 2001
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Untitled
Ink on paper
2001

Source
2001

NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION Louise Bourgeois. The Dagger Child et Sa Mère. 2001
NOT IN MoMA'S COLLECTION The Dagger Child et Sa Mère
Ink and white correctional fluid on paper
2001

States

Louise Bourgeois. Dagger Child. 2001
State I of IV
2001
Louise Bourgeois. Dagger Child. 2001
State II of IV, variant
2001
Louise Bourgeois. Dagger Child. 2001
State II of IV, variant
2001
Louise Bourgeois. Dagger Child. 2001
State III of IV
2001
Louise Bourgeois. Dagger Child. 2001
State IV of IV
2001