Department of the Creuse (Aubusson)

Cat. No. 844/I

Department of the Creuse (Aubusson)

State/Variant:
State I of II
Date:
1998

Themes
Nature
Techniques
Drypoint
Support:
Smooth, wove paper
Dimensions:
plate: 9 15/16 × 9 15/16" (25.3 × 25.2 cm); sheet: 11 13/16 x 11 13/16" (30 x 30 cm)
Signature:
Not signed
Publisher
unpublished
Printer
Harlan & Weaver
Edition:
2 known impressions of state I
Edition Information:
Not issued as a published edition at any state.

The additional known impression of this state is in MoMA's Collection (Accession Number: 1415.2012). It is not illustrated, due to its similarity to this impression.
Impression:
Not numbered
Background:
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.

The tapestry town Aubusson is located in the Creuse River Valley and was home to Bourgeois's mother's ancestors. The artist's affection for this region is evident in the inscriptions on the versos of state II, variant 3 and 4.
Description:
Drypoint
State Changes and Additions:
Matrices:
The progression of this composition, as seen in the Evolving Composition Diagram below, involved 3 plates.
Plate 1: contours of map shape and faint interior details; printed in black.
Plate 2: rivers; printed in blue.
Plate 3: various dots indicating cities; printed in red.

Print State Changes:
Plate 1 printed in black.
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist
MoMA Accession Number:
746.2008
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY

Department of the Creuse (Aubusson)

1998

Source

La France: Creuse, date unknown
States
Department of the Creuse (Aubusson)
Department of Creuse (Aubusson)
Department of Creuse (Aubusson)
Department of Creuse (Aubusson)
Department of Creuse (Aubusson)

Related Works in the Catalogue

Normandy Landing
Untitled, no. 8 of 69, from the illustrated book, Album
Water Divide
Untitled

Related Works in Other Mediums

Topologie
Untitled
Untitled, no. 133 of 220, from the series, The Insomnia Drawings