Louise Bourgeois

Spider

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About this artwork

Bourgeois made many sculptures of spiders. She related the idea of this creature with motherhood. In particular, she connected the spider with her own mother who was a needlewoman and manager of the family’s tapestry restoration business. The spider weaves a world from its own body, repairs its web and protects its young. Despite these caring associations, Bourgeois had an ambiguous view of maternity. The mother figure in her world view has the capacity to be ferocious and powerful as well as tender and nurturing. Although the sculpture features a marble egg, held protectively in the body of the spider, its large scale and muscular legs create a threatening presence.

Updated before 2020

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  • artist:
    Louise Bourgeois (1911 - 2010) American
  • title:
    Spider
  • date created:
    1994
  • materials:
    Bronze, silver nitrate and brown patina, and granite
  • measurements:
    274.30 x 457.20 x 378.50 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Lent by the Easton Foundation 2013
  • accession number:
    AL00354
  • gallery:
This artwork is part of Artist Rooms
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Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois