Hold My Bones

Cat. No. 1212.1/II, variant 7

Hold My Bones

State/Variant:
Version 1 of 2, state II of III, variant
Date:
2000
Themes
Body Parts
Techniques
Drypoint
Support:
Slightly textured, laid Dieu Donné paper
Dimensions:
plate: 4 15/16 x 8 3/8" (12.5 x 21.3 cm); sheet: 9 3/16 × 11 3/4" (23.4 × 29.8 cm)
Signature:
Not signed
Publisher
unpublished
Printer
Harlan & Weaver
Edition:
35 known impressions of version 1, state II
Edition Information:
Not issued as a published edition at any state.

There are 16 additional known impressions of this state in MoMA's Collection. They are not illustrated, due to their similarity to the other impressions seen in the Evolving Composition Diagram below. One impression is on white paper (Accession Number: 854.2008) while the remaining 15 impressions are on blue, slightly textured, laid Dieu Donné paper (Accession Numbers: 1425.2008, 1426.2008, 1427.2008, 1429.2008, 1430.2008, 1431.2008, 1432.2008, 1433.2008, 1434.2008, 1435.2008, 1436.2008, 1437.2008, 1438.2008, 1439.2008, 1440.2008).
Impression:
Not numbered
Curatorial Remarks:
Nigel Finch (1949-1995) was a British filmmaker. In 1994, he directed a documentary about the artist titled "Louise Bourgeois: No Trespassing."
Description:
Drypoint, with selective wiping
State Changes and Additions:
Changes from version 1, state I, in drypoint: shading added to left and right ends of shape.
Artist’s Remarks:
Inscribed on the source drawing: "Treaser Trove" (sic) upper right sheet, black ink, artist's hand; "I hold [obscured]" lower right sheet, pencil, artist's hand; "Hold my bones / together" lower right sheet, pencil, artist's hand.

About the source drawing, 1994: "This is my favorite drawing of all. It is a call for help. It means, 'Keep me together, do not abandon me, hold my bones together.' Speaking of the toi and moi! It should be called 'Friendship, The Value of Friendship.' I made this for Nigel Finch, the filmmaker. He just passed away." (Quote cited in Bourgeois, Louise and Lawrence Rinder. "Louise Bourgeois Drawings and Observations." Berkeley: University Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive University of California, Berkeley; Boston: Bulfinch Press, 1995, p. 175.)
Other Remarks:
Felix Harlan, of Harlan & Weaver, had this paper made to match the color of the artist's favorite blue stationary. Bourgeois wanted to try printing on her actual stationary but it was not suitable for printing.
MoMA Credit Line:
Gift of the artist
MoMA Accession Number:
1428.2008
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY

Hold My Bones

2000-2002

Source

1994

Hold My Bones
First Version
Hold My Bones
Hold My Bones
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Hold My Bones
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Second Version
Hold My Bones
Hold My Bones
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Hold My Bones
Hold My Bones
Hold My Bones

Related Works in the Catalogue

Henriette
Untitled
Untitled, no. 10 of 12, from the illustrated book, The Trauma of Abandonment
Henriette

Related Works in Other Mediums

Hip Rotary Articulation / Knee
Introducing the Reflected Image: Mirror Inside
Three Hinges Set
#2 Horizontal Opening Vertical Hinge
Vertical Articulation #1
Untitled
Henriette
Untitled (Hold My Bones)
Untitled (Hold My Bones)
Hold My Bones Together
Hold My Bones
Untitled
Untitled
Hold My Bones Together
Femur