Louise Bourgeois' Nature Study is a series that encapsulates the depth and breadth of her exploration into form, memory, and the unconscious. The series, spanning from the mid-1980s to later years, presents an intriguing mix of materials and symbols deeply rooted in Bourgeois' personal history and artistic journey. One particular iteration from 1986, part of the Harvard Art Museums' collection, is a compelling sculpture made from pink marble. It features a square base with roughhewn sides and a smaller surface atop, on which a finely modeled spiral, hands, and a small figure reside. This piece reflects Bourgeois’ long-standing concerns with childhood, gender, autonomy, aggression, and creativity, expressed through recurring motifs like spirals and hands that signify deeper psychological and emotional realms​ ( Homepage | Harvard Art Museums)​.

Another Nature Study from the same year, held by the National Galleries of Scotland, is cast in bronze with a silver nitrate patina, measuring 15.20 x 25.40 x 17.80 cm. This smaller sculpture also embodies cyclical themes of birth and rebirth, evident in the woman’s hair morphing into a knotted spiral from which she emerges. The hand in this sculpture is notably slender and delicate, crafted not from a direct cast but from a combination of casts and moldings, highlighting Bourgeois' skill in manipulating materials to evoke complex themes of control, disorder, and the cyclical nature of life​ (National Galleries of Scotland)​.

These works from Nature Study reveal Bourgeois’ profound engagement with the surrealists’ belief in expressing the unconscious through art, utilizing traditional sculptural materials like marble and bronze to delve into the permanence and impermanence of memory and existence. Her art transcends simple representation, inviting viewers into a deeply personal yet universally resonant dialogue with the human condition.