Louise Bourgeois' series of sculptures titled "Spiders," initiated in the mid-1990s when the artist was in her eighties, stands as one of her most recognized and compelling works. Bourgeois saw spiders as embodying a mix of fierceness and fragility, symbolizing protectiveness as well as predatory aspects. The spider sculptures, varying in size from small brooches to monumental outdoor installations reaching up to 30 feet, represent not only Bourgeois' mother—a steadfast and inventive tapestry restorer—but also carry broader meanings, including the spider as a protector against disease by devouring mosquitoes​ (The Museum of Modern Art)​​ (SFMOMA)​.

The theme of spiders in Bourgeois' work spans her entire career, with its roots in her drawing and printmaking from the late 1940s. However, it gained particular significance in the mid-1990s, notably with her illustrated book "Ode à Ma Mère" in 1995, which featured drypoint spiders and text that unpacked the layered meanings she associated with them. Bourgeois' fascination with spiders continued into her later life, culminating in digital prints and woven fabric works that saw the spider in various guises, often merging with a female figure to evoke the aging artist herself​ (The Museum of Modern Art)​.

Bourgeois described her mother in terms that closely align with her perception of spiders: deliberate, clever, patient, soothing, and indispensable—qualities that rendered both the arachnid and her mother as essential protectors in Bourgeois' eyes. This intricate connection underscores Bourgeois' work with a deeply personal and psychological dimension, exploring themes of motherhood, protection, and the complex web of human emotions​ (The Museum of Modern Art)​.

These works were exhibited in prominent institutions such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), where Bourgeois' spiders were showcased in a range that spanned intimate to monumental scales, demonstrating the artist's versatility in material and conceptual depth​ (SFMOMA)​.