Last updated: 27 October 2026
Louise Bourgeois (1911 to 2010) was the French-American artist whose sculptures, drawings and prints return again and again to memory, the body and family. Here you will find our take on her work, where to see it now, and Bourgeois gifts from the Tate shop from £4.
Our take on Louise Bourgeois
Bourgeois was born in Paris on 25 December 1911 and settled in New York in 1938, where she worked until her death in 2010, according to MoMA. She worked across sculpture, installation, drawing, printmaking and fabric.
“Art is a guarantee of sanity,” she said, in words MoMA keeps on its artist page. Another line it quotes sums up her approach: “I like to be a glass house. There is no mask in my work.”
Tate holds 148 of her works, including Cell XIV (Portrait) (2000) and I Am Afraid (2009). For something smaller, the Tate shop sells Maman bags, badges and T-shirts.
Louise Bourgeois: the essentials
- Born in Paris on 25 December 1911; died in New York on 31 May 2010, according to MoMA.
- Settled in New York in 1938, according to the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
- Tate holds 148 works by her, from Knife Couple (1949) to I Am Afraid (2009), according to Tate.
- The Centre Pompidou holds 91 of her works, and the BnF more than a hundred of her prints and eight artist’s books.
Louise Bourgeois exhibitions
- On now: Louise Bourgeois, Extrême tension, drawings and prints, BnF Richelieu, Paris, 20 October 2026 to 21 February 2027, with works from the Centre Pompidou.
- We found no current UK exhibition.
Where to buy Louise Bourgeois gifts
The Tate shop sells a small range based on her work:
Louise Bourgeois FAQs
When was Louise Bourgeois born?
On 25 December 1911, in Paris. She died in New York in 2010, aged 98.
Where can I see Louise Bourgeois’s work now?
At the BnF in Paris, where Extrême tension runs until 21 February 2027. Tate also holds 148 of her works.
Can I buy Louise Bourgeois gifts in the UK?
Yes. The Tate shop sells Maman bags, T-shirts and badges, from £4.
More from CoolCuration
- Tracey Emin at Tate Modern review: another artist who turned her own life into her work.
- Great Women Artists: the Phaidon survey for your shelf.
- Chiharu Shiota and Yin Xiuzhen at the Hayward review: two artists working with thread and memory.
- Gifts for artists: our edit of presents for people who make things.
Think we’re missing something, got something wrong, or want to be featured? Contact us.
Main image: Louise Bourgeois, New York, 1996. Photo: Oliver Mark via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 27 October 2026.
No Comments.