Spider

Louise Bourgeois was among the most intriguing and influential artists in Contemporary art. She began her career as a painter, yet sculpture and installation work became her focus and strongest legacy. Biography and the relationships among family are frequently addressed in the artist’s work; Spider, one of her most iconic themes, is no exception. In tribute to her mother, who made a living repairing ancient tapestries, Bourgeois portrays spiders as clever, dainty and protective. The eggs described in the lower portion of the body emphasize the maternal symbolism of the sculpture.

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Louise Bourgeois. Spider, 1997. Bronze, 94 x 96 x 84 inches. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © The Easton Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris.

Louise Bourgeois. _Spider_, 1997. Bronze, 94 x 96 x 84 inches. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © The Easton Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY