Louise Bourgeois

Cheim & Read, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above in 2008

This work is in very good condition overall. There is very light evidence of handling to the sculpture. A layer of red felt has been applied to the bottom to prevent wear, presumably by the artist, which is not visible when exhibited. Otherwise, there are no condition problems with this work.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Though Louise Bourgeois began her artistic career as an engraver and painter, by the 1940s she began focusing on sculptural work, for which she is celebrated as one of the most important artists of our time. Influenced largely by the European Surrealists who moved to the United States during and after World War II, Bourgeois' early work was composed of compilations of abstract and organic shapes, typically carved from wood. By the 1960s she began utilizing new materials such as rubber, bronze, stone, and marble, and her works grew larger, often referring to what has become the dominant theme of her work – her childhood. Bourgeois has famously stated, "My childhood has never lost its magic, it has never lost its mystery, and it has never lost its drama." Deeply symbolic, her work appropriates her relationship with her parents and the role sexuality played in her early family life as a vocabulary through which to understand her past. The anthropomorphic combination of female and male body parts in her sculptures are charged with a simultaneous sexuality and innocence.
The composition of Femme is a continuation of a sculptural form, inspired by ancient depictions of femininity, that surfaced in Bourgeois' work as early as the late 1960's. What originally appeared in textured clay in her earlier works, the exquisitely polished marble of Femme's contours demonstrates a sophisticated maturation on this theme. Here the interplay of the figure's voluptuous femininity with graphic virile imagery exudes a raw sexuality. This sexual force, however, is couched in the soft tactility of the stone's medium. A sensuous abstraction, Femme stands as a profound exploration of the artist's captivation with the magic, the mystery and the drama of her childhood memories.