At a glance
A descent into the psychological depths of Louise Bourgeois through the intimate, repetitive lines of her prints and drawings at the historic BnF Richelieu.
Why go
This exhibition displays the full scope of the BnF's massive Bourgeois collection for the first time, revealing how the artist used printmaking as a vital form of psychological therapy and memory.
You'll see
Intaglio prints · Fabric works · Illustrated books · Thematic sculptures · Archival sketches
Pace of visit
The exhibition invites slow looking at detailed graphic works and archival documents spread across several historic rooms.
Don't miss
The complete series of He Disappeared into Complete Silence, which masterfully blends architecture, loneliness, and surrealist geometry.
Artlovers Tip
Take time to notice the architectural details of the newly renovated Mazarine Gallery; the play of natural light complements the delicate textures and fragile papers of Bourgeois’s work.
Inside the exhibition
Meet the artist
Description
Louise Bourgeois. Extreme Tension at the BnF Richelieu in Paris, France, explores the visceral relationship between the artist’s mental landscape and her prolific graphic output. The exhibition brings together hundreds of works, focusing on the act of engraving as a primary means of expression that functioned alongside her better-known sculptural practice.
The presentation highlights the significant donation of Bourgeois’s printed works to the French national library. Visitors will encounter rare proofs, illustrated books, and fabric-based pieces that trace her preoccupations with motherhood, domesticity, and the body from the 1930s until her final years. The curation emphasizes the physical and repetitive nature of her printmaking process.
By placing these intimate works within the restored Mazarine Gallery, the exhibition provides a quiet, focused context for Bourgeois’s career. It illustrates how the resistance of copper and paper provided a necessary release for her internal anxieties, offering a foundational perspective on how her graphic experiments informed her large-scale installations and sculptures.
Worth travelling for?
A deep, academic yet emotional dive into printmaking that rewards visitors who prefer quiet observation and psychological depth to large-scale spectacle.
Experience as an Artlover
Entry to the temporary exhibition galleries requires a specific ticket, which can be booked through the BnF website to ensure access during peak afternoon hours.
