Cat. No. 844/II, variant 3
Department of Creuse (Aubusson)
- State/Variant:
- State II of II, variant
- Date:
- 1998
- Themes
- Nature
- Techniques
- Aquatint, Drypoint
- Support:
- Smooth, wove paper
- Dimensions:
- plate: 9 15/16 × 9 15/16" (25.3 × 25.2 cm); sheet: 14 15/16 x 14" (38 x 35.5 cm)
- Signature:
- "Louise Bourgeois" lower right margin, pencil.
- Publisher
- unpublished
- Printer
- Harlan & Weaver
- Edition:
- 4 known variant impressions of state II
- Edition Information:
- Not issued as a published edition at any state.
- 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 and aquatint, with red ink additions
- Inscription:
- Verso: "Je suis une Ravaudeuse / Sur les Bords de la Creuze / Je me sens tres heureuse / et ne suis pas une gueuze / Sur les bords de la Creuze / Je ne suis pas peureuse ni boiteuse/ ni affreuse, ni honteuse, ni voyeuse / ni toucheuse ni allumeuse, ni/ grincheuse ni tousseuse ou souffreteuse. / Je me sens tres heureuse sur les Bords / de la Creuze / Sept 1998" center sheet, red ink, 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: 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, over plate 2 printed in blue, over plate 3 printed in red.
Changes from state I, in drypoint: rivers further delineated in lower left composition.
Changes from state I, in aquatint: rivers and dots indicating cities added overall. - MoMA Credit Line:
- Gift of the artist
- MoMA Accession Number:
- 1393.2008
State II of II, variant
1998
Department of the Creuse (Aubusson)
1998
Source
La France: Creuse, date unknown
La France: Creuse, date unknown
Medium: Commercially printed
Dimensions: sheet: 9 1/2 x 11 13/16" (24.1 x 30 cm)
© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY
State I of II
1998
<i>Department of the Creuse (Aubusson)</i>
1998
State II of II, variant
1998
<i>Department of Creuse (Aubusson)</i>
1998
State II of II, variant
1998
<i>Department of Creuse (Aubusson)</i>
1998
State II of II, variant
1998
<i>Department of Creuse (Aubusson)</i>
1998
State II of II, variant
1998
<i>Department of Creuse (Aubusson)</i>
1998
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1995
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© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY
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2004
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© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY
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1995
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© The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY