The Liseuse

Cat. No. 1138/II

The Liseuse

State/Variant:
State II of II
Date:
c. 1939
Themes
Architecture, Figures, Objects
Techniques
Relief
Support:
Wove, Japanese paper
Dimensions:
composition: 14 × 9 13/16" (35.5 × 25 cm); sheet (top portion): 8 3/4 × 11 15/16" (22.3 × 30.4 cm); sheet (bottom portion): 8 7/8 × 6" (22.5 × 15.3 cm)
Signature:
Not signed
Publisher
unpublished
Printer
Louise Bourgeois
Edition:
1 known impression of state II
Edition Information:
Not issued as a published edition at any state.

State I is known only through microfilm (Archives of American Art, reel 54, frame 404; full sheet visible).
Impression:
Not numbered
Curatorial Remarks:
A segment of what appears to be missing lower left composition adhered to verso of upper sheet portion. A segment of newspaper adhered to verso of lower sheet portion. Removal of either segment would damage the sheet.
Former Cat. No.:
W & S 8
Descriptive Title:
English translation: "The Reader"
Description:
Woodcut, with additions in red and blue ink
Inscription:
"The liseuse [erased]" lower left margin, pencil, artist's hand. Verso: "chinese paper as a [cut off]" bottom of lower left fragment, pencil, artist's hand.
State Changes and Additions:
Matrices:
This composition included 2 different woodcut blocks.

Block 1: basic composition for all areas except figure, chair, and part of back wall; printed in blue.
Block 2: figure, chair, and part of back wall; printed in orange.

Changes from state I (known through microfilm), in woodcut: chair slightly altered; window panes removed.
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist
MoMA Accession Number:
85.1994.a-b
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY

The Liseuse

c. 1939

States
The Liseuse

Related Works in the Catalogue

Dream
Summer
Youth
Man Reading

Related Works in Other Mediums

Portrait of Robert
Untitled
Untitled
Summer
Untitled (verso)