Follow the Child within You

Cat. No. 420/I, variant 1

Follow the Child within You

State/Variant:
State I of VII, variant
Date:
1998
Themes
Figures, Motherhood & Family, Nature, Objects
Techniques
Drypoint
Support:
Smooth, wove paper
Dimensions:
plate: 16 15/16 x 13 7/8" (43 x 35.3 cm); sheet: 21 x 18" (53.3 x 45.7 cm)
Signature:
Not signed
Publisher
unpublished
Printer
Harlan & Weaver
Edition:
2 known variant impressions of state I
Edition Information:
Proof before the editioning of state VII.
Impression:
Not numbered
Background:
The inscription on the verso of this impression refers to Eva Perón, Eva Zeisel, and Eva Hesse. Perón (1919–52) served as the First Lady of Argentina. Zeisel (1906–2011) was an American industrial designer and contemporary of Bourgeois. Hesse (1936–70) was an American sculptor whose work has been shown together with Bourgeois on several occasions.

State VII of this composition was published as a benefit for Harlem Family Institute, New York. The Harlem Family Institute is a multicultural psychoanalytic training institute in New York, founded in 1991. As of 2014, it provides two community services: free or affordable therapy to children and parents in underserved areas of New York, and training for aspiring psychoanalysts from diverse backgrounds. (A promotional brochure for the benefit edition gave an incorrect title, "Follow the Child in You" rather than "Follow the Child within You.")
Description:
Drypoint, with red ink and pencil additions
Inscription:
Verso: "SELF PORTRAIT with / my 3 little eggs / eva Peron, eva Zoisel, Eva Hess", lower right sheet, pencil, artist's hand; large sketch of nest and three eggs, center comp., red ink and red and blue crayon, artist's hand.
State Changes and Additions:
Matrices:
The progression of this composition, as seen in the Evolving Composition Diagram below, involved 3 plates.

Plate 1: boat outline and shading, waves, sky details, light sketch of figures in boat; usually printed in blue.

Plate 2: detailed figures in boat and rim of boat; printed in red.

Plate 3: shading in ocean; printed in blue.

State Changes:
Plate 1 printed in black.
Additions in pencil and red ink: "Harlem Family Institute" inscribed on boat, anticipating state II.
Artist’s Remarks:
Inscribed on the verso of the source drawing: "when you do not know what to do follow the child within you"
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist
MoMA Accession Number:
775.2008
This Work in Other Collections:
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY

Follow the Child within You

1998-1999

Source

1998

Follow the Child within You
Studies
Follow the Child within You (Study for Follow the Child within You)
States
Follow the Child within You
Follow the Child within You
Follow the Child within You
Follow the Child within You
Follow the Child within You
Follow the Child within You
Follow the Child within You
Follow the Child within You
Follow the Child within You

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The Night
Lacs de Montagne
Noah's Ark

Related Works in Other Mediums

Untitled (Double-Sided)
Untitled