Skip to Main Content

 Admission is always freeOpen today: 10:00  to 5:00  Directions             Play Artle            

                  -  Visit                      - Visit
                    - Getting Here
                    - Accessibility
                    - Tours, Guides & Maps
                    - Food & Drink
                    - Gallery Shops
                    - Visitor Policies 
                  -  Collection                      - Collection
                    - Highlights
                    - Search the Collection
                    - Artists Search
                    - Acquisition Highlights
                    - Stories 
                  -  Exhibitions                      - Exhibitions
                    - Current
                    - Special Installations
                    - Upcoming
                    - On Tour
                    - Past 
                  -  Calendar                      - Calendar
                    - Films
                    - Performances
                    - Talks
                    - Guided Tours
                    - After Hours
                    - Fun for Kids
                    - Festivals
                    - Workshops 
                  -  Learn                      - Learn
                    - Teachers
                    - Families
                    - Teens
                    - Adults
                    - Learning Resources
                    - Music Programs
                    - Film Programs 
                  -  Conservation                      - Conservation
                    - Projects
                    - Publications
                    - Resources 
                  -  Research                      - Research
                    - The Center
                    - Publications
                    - Make an Appointment
                    - Archives
                    - Library
                    - NGA Online Editions 
                  -  Support                      - Support
                    - Donate Now
                    - National Membership
                    - Circle Membership
                    - Leadership Groups
                    - Planned Giving
                    - Major Giving
                    - Gifts of Art 
                  -  Shop                      - Shop
                    - Books
                    - Jewelry
                    - Apparel & Accessories
                    - Kids
                    - NGA Custom Prints 
                  -  Play Artle

Home>Learn>Teachers>Lessons and Activities>Art Tales for Pre-K>Art Starters: Louise Bourgeois

# Teachers

Find Lessons 

Online Courses

Explore Resources

School Tours & Programs

Professional Development

# Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois, *Spider*, 1996, cast 1997, bronze with silver nitrate patina, Gift of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, 1997.136.1

Louise Bourgeois made many sculptures of spiders. Some are just a few inches tall (as big as an apple) and some are over thirty feet tall (as big as a building). To the artist, the spider—patient and protective—was a symbol for her mother.

**LOOK**

What five words would you use to describe this sculpture?

How many legs does it have? Count them.

Imagine if this sculpture came to life. How would it move? How might people react to it? What do you think the spider would want to do?

**READ**

***The Itsy Bitsy Spider***

by Maddie Frost

The story of the classic children's song.

***La pequeña arañita***

by Chad Thompson

The story of the classic children's song, translated into Spanish.

***Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois***

by Amy Novesky and Isabelle Arsenault

This book offers the biography of Bourgeois and tells the story of her close relationship with her mother.

**MAKE: A symbolic sculpture**

*You will need:*
                - Paper
                - Pencil
                - Lightweight wire 

Think of an important person in your life—a family member, teacher, friend, or even yourself! What makes that person special? What words would you use to describe that person? What do they like to do?

Now think of an animal or creature that shares one or more of those special things that remind you of your important person. Like Louise Bourgeois, you can use an animal as a symbol to represent that person.

Before you begin working with the wire, you might want to draw your animal or creature with your pencil and paper.

Then, carefully bend and twist the wire to create a sculpture of your animal or creature. Try wrapping or coiling the wire around a pencil to make its rounded parts.

Display your sculpture so that you can see all of its sides, or use string to hang it in the air. What will you call it?

**VOCAB BANK**

                - coil  
                - protective
                - represent
                - sculpture
                - symbol

Art Tales: Coloring and Cut-Outs booklet (PDF, 3.5 MB)

Art Tales for Pre-K (PDF, 7.2 MB)

Primeros Pasos En El Arte (PDF, 7.5 MB)

Primeros Pasos En El Arte: Colorear y Recortes (PDF, 3.7 MB)

Register for the Art Tales pre-K school tour

Send images of your students' projects that follow these activities - email [email protected]

### Stay connected

Learn more about our exhibitions, news, programs, and special offers.

About
          - About the National Gallery
          - Stories
          - Press
          - FAQs
          - Contact Us

Plan a Visit
          - Getting Here
          - Accessibility
          - Today's Tours
          - Food & Drink
          - Calendar
          - Downloadable Map

Get Involved
          - Donate
          - Membership
          - Volunteer
          - Opportunities
          - Shop Online

Resources
          - Search the Collection
          - Conservation
          - Library
          - Archives
          - The Center
          - Film Programs
          - Music Programs
          - Audio/Video
          - Open Access Images

Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily

**West Building**6th St and Constitution Ave NW*Enter or exit from Constitution Avenue, 4th Street, or 7th Street. The Madison Drive entrance is currently closed.*

**East Building**4th St and Constitution Ave NW*Enter and exit from 4th Street.*

**Sculpture Garden**7th St and Constitution Ave NW*Enter and exit from 7th Street, Constitution Avenue, or Madison Drive.*

We are closed on December 25 and January 1.

*The National Gallery of Art serves the nation by welcoming all people to explore and experience art, creativity, and our shared humanity.*

          -  Twitter 
          -  Facebook 
          -  Instagram 
          -  Pinterest 
          -  YouTube 

© 2024 National Gallery of Art   Notices   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy