Untitled, no. 1 of 34, from the illustrated book, Ode à l'Oubli

Bourgeois has made illustrated books, a format that she herself collects, since the late 1940s, incorporating her own texts and those of other authors. This editioned fabric volume is modeled after a unique book she made in 2002 using textiles she had saved throughout her life, including scraps of nightgowns, scarves, and hand towels from her wedding trousseau, monogrammed with her initials. Bourgeois spent her childhood around fabric—her family had a tapestry restoration business—and she has used the material for years in sculptures and as the support for prints and drawings.

Credit: Gift of the artist