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Spider Woman

Publisher Harlan & Weaver, Inc. American
Printer Harlan & Weaver, Inc. American
2005
Not on view
Throughout her long career, Bourgeois treated the motif of spiders across many different media, from drawings and prints to monumental outdoor sculpture. The theme was initially associated with her mother, a tapestry restorer, but grew to take on broader associations as a strong female protector against evil. This example, dating from the last decade of the artist’s life, represents a female spider with a human face, contained within an egg-shaped form. The vibrant scarlet ink is a color Bourgeois favored in her late work.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Spider Woman
  • Artist: Louise Bourgeois (American, Paris 1911–2010 New York)
  • Publisher: Harlan & Weaver, Inc. (American)
  • Printer: Harlan & Weaver, Inc. (American)
  • Date: 2005
  • Medium: Drypoint
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 13 9/16 × 13 5/8 in. (34.5 × 34.6 cm)
    Plate: 6 11/16 × 9 1/4 in. (17 × 23.5 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: John B. Turner Fund, 2006
  • Object Number: 2006.17
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
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What is the Shape of this Problem?, Louise Bourgeois American, Lithograph
What is the Shape of this Problem?
Louise Bourgeois
1999
Hanging Weeds, Louise Bourgeois American, Engraving
Hanging Weeds
Louise Bourgeois
1949
Stamp of Memories I, Louise Bourgeois American, Drypoint and metal stamp
Stamp of Memories I
Multiple artists/makers
1993
Storm at Saint Honoré (State VIII), Louise Bourgeois American, Engraving and drypoint on paper, A.P. 9/25
Storm at Saint Honoré (State VIII)
Louise Bourgeois
Harlan & Weaver, Inc.
1993
Untitled, Louise Bourgeois American, Silicone rubber
Untitled
Louise Bourgeois
1994

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