Spider II

Artist Louise Bourgeois (French, 1911 - 2010)

Date1995

MediumCast bronze; 5/6 edition from unique steel sculpture in artist's collection

DimensionsOverall: 22 1/2 x 73 x 73in. (57.2 x 185.4 x 185.4cm)

ClassificationsSCULPTURE

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Terms

20th Century

Object number99.43

DescriptionAt the beginning of World War II (1939-45), Bourgeois married an American art historian, Robert Goldwater, and moved to the United States from France. For the rest of her life, she felt she had abandoned her family. As a way to understand and heal, Bourgeois used her childhood as the primary inspiration for her artwork as an adult. Bourgeois’ mother ran the family’s tapestry restoration workshop, and in the 1990s, she began a series of spider sculptures in homage to her. The artist described her mother as “deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, reasonable, dainty, subtle, indispensable, neat and as useful as a spider. She could also defend herself.” For Bourgeois, sewing needles represent repaired damage, or forgiveness.

On View

On view

Collections

Sculpture

Label TextAt the beginning of World War II (1939-45), Bourgeois married an American art historian, Robert Goldwater, and moved to the United States from France. For the rest of her life, she felt she had abandoned her family. As a way to understand and heal, Bourgeois used her childhood as the primary inspiration for her artwork as an adult. Bourgeois’ mother ran the family’s tapestry restoration workshop, and in the 1990s, she began a series of spider sculptures in homage to her. The artist described her mother as “deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, reasonable, dainty, subtle, indispensable, neat and as useful as a spider. She could also defend herself.” For Bourgeois, sewing needles represent repaired damage, or forgiveness. Louise Bourgeois grew up in France and her childhood relationships with family members have been an important source of inspiration for her art work as an adult. She has written: "my best friend was my mother and she was deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, reasonable, dainty, subtle, indispensable, neat and as useful as a spider. She could also defend herself." Bourgeois' mother ran the family's tapestry restoration workshop and Louise admired her, but was also intimidated by her. The spider became an apt symbol of this intelligent, fastidious, and sometimes fearsome woman. Similarly, sewing needles represent repaired damage, or forgiveness. With Spider II Bourgeois created an animated creature that looks both mechanical and natural walking up the gallery wall on needle feet.