{"data":{"id":229373,"api_model":"artworks","api_link":"https:\/\/api.artic.edu\/api\/v1\/artworks\/229373","is_boosted":false,"title":"Bourgeois Bust- Jeff and Ilona","alt_titles":null,"thumbnail":{"lqip":"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhBAAFAPQAABQUFCIiIlJRT3JxcHRzc4eHh4iGhIyMjJKOipqXlKCdmqampqupp6ysrLOxsLi4tr69u8fGw8rIxtPRzwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAAAAAAALAAAAAAEAAUAAAURYCAMgBFBRCJNToEox8I8TQgAOw==","width":1600,"height":2250,"alt_text":"A work made of marble."},"main_reference_number":"2015.141","has_not_been_viewed_much":false,"boost_rank":null,"date_start":1991,"date_end":1991,"date_display":"1991","date_qualifier_title":"","date_qualifier_id":null,"artist_display":"Jeff Koons\nAmerican, born 1955","place_of_origin":"United States","description":"<p>Jeff Koons originally made this work for his now notorious <em>Made in Heaven<\/em> exhibition, in which he explored concepts of love by referencing his own marriage to Italian porn star Ilona Staller. He explains, \u201cWith <em>Bourgeois Bust<\/em>, I wanted . . . to be able to bring Ilona\u2019s body and my body down together in a point so that it\u2019s a heart\u2014a symbol of love\u2014and take the flesh and cut through it to form it that way without any sense of violence.\u201d Here the couple appears within a traditional Baroquestyle portrait bust like those of 18th-century sculptor Antonio Canova (whose work you can see in the museum\u2019s galleries of European painting and sculpture). <em>Bourgeois Bust<\/em> sets in tension the elegance of neoclassical sculpture and the irreverence of deploying its idealized terms in the postmodern era.<\/p>\n","short_description":"Jeff Koons made this work for a suite exploring concepts of love, referencing his marriage to Italian porn star Ilona Staller. He explained, \u201cI wanted . . . to bring Ilona\u2019s body and my body down together in a point so that it\u2019s a heart\u2014a symbol of love\u2014and take the flesh and cut through it . . . without any sense of violence.\u201d Koons made the double portrait in the 18-century Baroque style.","dimensions":"110.5 \u00d7 73.4 \u00d7 55.9 cm (43 1\/2 \u00d7 29 \u00d7 22 in.)","dimensions_detail":[{"depth":55,"width":73,"height":110,"diameter":null,"clarification":null}],"medium_display":"Marble","inscriptions":null,"credit_line":"Gift of Edlis Neeson Collection","catalogue_display":null,"publication_history":"Angelika Muthesius, ed., Jeff Koons (Cologne: Taschen, 1992), 161, cat. 41 (color ill.), 169, cat. 41. \n\nRobert Rosenblum, The Jeff Koons Handbook (London: Thames and Hudson\/Anthony d\u2019Offay Gallery, 1992), 141 (color ill.), 161.\n\nLynne Cooke, Brice Curiger, and Greg Hilty, Doubletake: Collective Memory and Current Art, exh. cat. (London: South Bank Centre\/Parkett, 1992), 179 (color ill.), 214. \n\nJeffrey Deitch, Post Human, exh. cat. (Hamburg: Deichtorhallen, 1992), 108 (color ill.). \n\nJohn Caldwell, Jeff Koons: Retrospective, with essays by Jim Leis, Daniela Salvioni, and Brian Wallis, exh. cat. (San Francisco: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1992), 120, cat. 63 (color ill.), 132, no. 54.\n\nAnnie Sprinkle, \u201cHard-core Heaven: Unsafe Sex with Jeff Koons,\u201d ARTS Magazine (March 1992): 48 (color ill.).\n\nWim Beeren, Jeff Koons: Retrospektiv\/Retrospective, exh. cat. (Amsterdam: Stedlijk Museum, 1992), 5 (color ill.). \n\nJens Erik S\u00f8renson and Anders Kold, Jeff Koons: Retrospektiv, exh. cat. (Aarhus: Aarhus Kunstmuseum, 1993), 75, cat 54 (color ill.), 114.\n\nDavid Littlejohn, \u201cWho is Jeff Koons and Why Are People Saying Such Terrible Things About Him?,\u201d ArtNews 62 (April 1993): 91 (color ill.).\n\nJeffrey Deitch, Ricahrd Pandiscio, and Louise Neri, Everything That's Interesting Is New: The Dakis Joannou Collection, exh. cat. (Berlin: Hatje Cantz, 1996), 158 (color ill). \n\nKaterina Gregos and Jeffrey Deitch, Jeff Koons: A Millennium Celebration, Works from the Dakis Joannou Collection, 1979\u20131999, exh. cat. (Nea Ionia, Greece: Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, 1999), 17 (color ill.), 46.\n\nPhilippe Vergne, Let\u2019s Entertain: Life\u2019s Guilty Pleasures, exh. cat. (Minneapolis:Walker Art Center, 2000), 244 (color ill.).\n\nRainer Crone, Jeff Koons: Highlights of 25 Years, exh. cat. (New York: C&M Arts, 2004), 58, 59, pl. 19 (color ill.), 85.\n\nJeffrey Deitch, ed., Monument to Now, exh. cat. (Nea Ionia, Greece: Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, 2004), 144 (color ill.), 227 (color ill.).\n\nGunnar Kvaran, Jeff Koons: Retrospectiv, exh. cat. (Oslo: Astrup Fearnley Museet, 2004), 100 (color ill.), 148. \n\nAlison M. Gingeras and Jack Bankowsky, eds., Where Are We Going?: Selections from the Fran\u00e7ois Pinault Collection, exh. cat. (Rome: Palazzo Grassi\/Skira, 2006), 244 (color ill.). \n\nAlison M. Gingeras, La Collezione Fran\u00e7ois Pinault: Una selezione Post\u2013Pop\/La Collection Fran\u00e7ois Pinault: Une selection Post\u2013Pop\/The Fran\u00e7ois Pinault Collection: A Post\u2013Pop Selection, exh. cat. (Rome: Palazzo Grassi\/Skira, 2006), 31, 32 (color ill.), 95. \n\nFrancesco Bonami, Jeff Koons, exh. cat. (Chicago: Museum of Contemporary Art; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008), 70\u201371 (color ill.), 74 (color ill.), 114. \n\nAlison M. Gingeras and Francesco Bonami, Mapping the Studio: Artisti dalla collezione Fran\u00e7ois Pinault\/Artists from the Fran\u00e7ois Pinault Collection\/Artistes de la collection Fran\u00e7ois Pinault, exh. cat. (Milan: Electa, 2009), 177 (color ill.), 178\u2013179 (color ill.), 376. \n\nMarybeth Sollins, ed. Art: 21 \u2013 Art in the Twenty-First Century, (New York: Art21 Inc., 2009), 94 (color ill.).\n\nJack Bankowksy, Alison M. Gingeras, and Catherine Wood, eds., Pop Life - Art in a Material World, exh. cat. (London: Tate Publishing, 2009) 136 (color ill.), 196. \n\nJack Bankowsky, Hubertus Ga\u00dfner, and Annabelle G\u00f6rgen, Pop Life: Warhol, Haring, Koons, Hirst\u2026, exh. cat. (DuMont, 2010), 156, 157 (color ill.), 202.\n\nFrancesca Amfitheatrof, Agony and Ecstasy: Selections from the Fran\u00e7ios Pinault Collection, exh. cat. (SongEun ArtSpace, 2011), 39, 42, 43, cat. 8 (color ill.). \n\nVinzenz Brinkmann, Matthias Ulrich, Joachim Pissarro, and Max Hollein, Jeff Koons: The Painter and the Sculptor, exh. cat., vol. 2, Jeff Koons: The Sculptor (Berlin: Hatje Cantz, 2012), 50 (color ill.), 65, 83, 149 (color ill.), 190.  \n\nVinzenz Brinkmann, Matthias Ulrich, Joachim Pissarro, and Max Hollein, Jeff Koons: Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung Frankfurt, exh. cat. (Frankfurt am Main: Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung, 2012), n.p. (color ill.). \n\nScott Rothkopf, Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, with contributions by Antonio Damasio, Jeffrey Deitch, Isabelle Graw, Achim Hochd\u00f6rfer, Michelle Kuo, Rachel Kushner, Pamela M. Lee, and Alexander Nagel, exh. cat. (New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 2014), 24 (ill.), 125, pl. 73 (color ill.), 219, 288.  \n\nScott Rothkopf, Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, with contributions by Antonio Damasio, Jeffrey Deitch, Isabelle Graw, Achim Hochd\u00f6rfer, Michelle Kuo, Rachel Kushner, Pamela M. Lee, and Alexander Nagel, exh. cat. (Paris: Editions du Centre Pompidou, 2014), 133, pl. 73 (color ill.), 300.\n\nJulie Champion and Caroline Edde, Jeff Koons: La Retrospective: The Album of the Exhibition (Paris: Centre Pompidou, 2014), 33.\n\nJulie Champion and Nicolas Liucci-Goutnikov, Jeff Koons: La Retrospective: The Portfolio of the Exhibition (Paris: Centre Pompidou, 2014), 95.\n\nScott Rothkopf, Jeff Koons: Retrospectiva, with contributions by Antonio Damasio, Jeffrey Deitch, Isabelle Graw, Achim Hochd\u00f6rfer, Michelle Kuo, Rachel Kushner, Pamela M. Lee, and Alexander Nagel, exh. cat. (Bilbao: Fundacion del Museo Guggenehim Bilbao, 2015), 129, pl. 73 (color ill.), 123, 299.\n\nJames Rondeau, Edlis\/Neeson Collection: The Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago, 2015), 66, 67, pl. 26 (color ill.), 111, 130.","exhibition_history":"New York, Sonnabend Gallery, Made in Heaven, Nov. 23\u2013Dec. 21,1991, no cat. (Edition unknown).\n\nLondon, Hayward Gallery, Doubletake: Collective Memory and Current Art, Feb. 20\u2013Apr. 20, 1992, no cat. no. (Edition unknown).\n\nPully\/Lausanne, FAE Mus\u00e9e d\u00b4Art Contemporain, Post Human, June 14\u2013Sept. 13, 1992, no cat. no.; Turin, Castello di Rivoli, Oct. 2\u2013Nov. 22, 1992; Athens, Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Dec. 3, 1992\u2013Feb. 14, 1993; Hamburg, Diechtorhallen, Mar. 12\u2013May 9, 1993; Jerusalem, Israel Museum, June 23\u2013Oct. 10, 1993. (Edition 1 of 3)\n\nAmsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Jeff Koons: Retrospektiv\/Retrospective, Nov. 28, 1992\u2013Jan. 3, 1993, no cat. no.; Aarhus Kunstmuseum, Jan. 22\u2013Feb. 28, 1993, cat. 54; Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Mar. 12\u2013Apr. 18, 1993, no cat. no. (Edition 1 of 3). \n\nSan Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Jeff Koons: Retrospective, Dec. 10, 1992\u2013Feb. 7, 1993, pl. 63; Minneapolis, Walker Art Center, July 10\u2013Oct. 3, 1993. (Edition unknown). \n\nLondon, Anthony d\u2019Offay Gallery, Sculpture, Dec. 7, 1994\u2013Jan. 21, 1995, no cat. (Edition 3 of 3).\n\nAthens School of Fine Arts, Everything That's Interesting Is New: The Dakis Joannou Collection, Jan. 20\u2013Apr. 20, 1996, no cat. no. (Edition 1 of 3).\n\nMinneapolis, Walker Art Center, Let\u2019s Entertain: Life\u2019s Guilty Pleasures, no cat. no., Feb. 12\u2013Apr. 30, 2000; Portland Museum of Art, July 7\u2013Sept. 17, 2000; Paris, Musee nationale d\u2019art modern, Centre Georges Pompidou, as Sons et lumi\u00e8res Nov. 19, 2000\u2013Jan. 8, 2001; Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, as Let\u2019s Entertain: Kunst Macht Spass, Mar. 17\u2013July 15, 2001; 2001; Miami Art Museum, Sept. 14\u2013Nov. 18, 2001. (Edition unknown). \n\n Athens, Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Jeff Koons: A Millennium Celebration, Works from the Dakis Joannou Colleciton, 1979\u20131999, Dec. 15, 1999\u2013May 15, 2000, no cat. no. (Edition 1 of 3). \n\nNew York, James Cohan Gallery, The Passions: From Brueghel to Viola, Dec. 1, 2001\u2013Jan. 12, 2002, no cat. (Edition 3 of 3).\n\nNew York, C&M Arts, Jeff Koons: Highlights of 25 Years, Apr. 7\u2013June 5, 2004, pl. 19 (Edition AP).\n \nAthens, Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Monument to Now: The Dakis Joannou Collection, June 22, 2004\u2013Mar. 6, 2005, no cat. no. (Edition 1 of 3).\n\nOslo, Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Jeff Koons: Retrospectiv\/Retrospective, Sept. 4\u2013Dec. 12, 2004, no cat. no.; Helsinki City Art Museum, Jan. 28\u2013Apr. 10, 2005 (Edition AP). \n\nVenice, Palazzo Grassi, Where Are We Going?: Selections From the Fran\u00e7ois Pinault Collection, Apr. 30\u2013Oct. 1, 2006, no cat. no. (Edition AP).\n\nVenice, Palazzo Grassi, La Collezione Fran\u00e7ois Pinault: Una selezione Post\u2013Pop\/La Collection Fran\u00e7ois Pinault: Une selection Post\u2013Pop\/The Fran\u00e7ois Pinault Collection: A Post\u2013Pop Selection, Nov. 11, 2006\u2013Mar. 11, 2007, no cat. no. (Edition AP).\n\nChicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, Jeff Koons, May 31\u2013Sept. 21, 2008, no cat. no. (Edition 3 of 3).\n\nVenice, Punta Della Dogana and Palazzo Grassi, Mapping the Studio: Artisti dalla collezione Fran\u00e7ois Pinault\/Artists from the Fran\u00e7ois Pinault Collection\/Artistes de la collection Fran\u00e7ois Pinault, June 6, 2009\u2013Apr.10, 2011, no cat. no. (Edition AP).\n\nLondon, Tate Modern, Pop Life\u00ac\u2013Art in a Material World, Oct. 1, 2009\u2013Jan. 17, 2010, no cat. no.; Hamburger Kunsthalle, Feb. 15\u2013May 9, 2010; Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada, June 11\u2013Sept. 19, 2010 (Edition 2 of 3). \n\nEdinburgh, National Galleries of Scotland, Artist Rooms: Jeff Koons, Mar. 19\u2013July 3, 2011, no cat. (Edition 2 of 3).\n\nSeoul, Korea, SongEun ArtSpace, Agony and Ecstasy: Selections from theFran\u00e7ios Pinault Collection, Sept. 2\u2013Nov. 19, 2011, cat. 8. (Edition AP).\n\nFrankfurt, Schirn Kunstalle and Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung, Jeff Koons: The Painter and the Sculptor, June 20\u2013Sept. 23, 2012, no cat. no. (Edition 1 of 3).\n\nBrighton Museum and Art Gallery, Artist Rooms: Jeff Koons, May 11\u2013Sept. 8, 2013, no cat. (Edition unknown).\n\nNew York, Whitney Museum of American Art, Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, June 27\u2013Oct. 19, 2014, pl. 73 (Edition 3); Paris, The Centre Georges Pompidou, Jeff Koons: La Retrospective, Nov. 26, 2014\u2013Apr. 27, 2015 (Edition AP); Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Jeff Koons: Retrospectiva, June 9\u2013Sept. 27, 2015 (Edition AP).\n\nNorwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Artist Rooms: Jeff Koons, May 5\u2013Sept. 6, 2015, no cat. (Edition unknown).","provenance_text":"The artist; sold through Antony d\u2019Offay Gallery, London, to Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson, Chicago, Nov. 17, 1995 [copy of invoice in curatorial object file]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, Apr. 21, 2015.","edition":"3 of 3, plus 1 artist's proof","publishing_verification_level":"Web Cataloged","internal_department_id":246,"fiscal_year":2015,"fiscal_year_deaccession":null,"is_public_domain":false,"is_zoomable":false,"max_zoom_window_size":843,"copyright_notice":null,"has_multimedia_resources":false,"has_educational_resources":false,"has_advanced_imaging":false,"colorfulness":5.2334,"color":{"h":40,"l":92,"s":4,"percentage":0.0026027198422351357,"population":26},"latitude":41.8803348758536,"longitude":-87.6217151060699,"latlon":"41.880334875854,-87.62171510607","is_on_view":true,"on_loan_display":null,"gallery_title":"Gallery 295","gallery_id":25471,"nomisma_id":null,"artwork_type_title":"Sculpture","artwork_type_id":3,"department_title":"Contemporary Art","department_id":"PC-8","artist_id":71099,"artist_title":"Jeff Koons","alt_artist_ids":[],"artist_ids":[71099],"artist_titles":["Jeff Koons"],"category_ids":["PC-8"],"category_titles":["Contemporary Art"],"term_titles":["sculpture"],"style_id":null,"style_title":null,"alt_style_ids":[],"style_ids":[],"style_titles":[],"classification_id":"TM-13","classification_title":"sculpture","alt_classification_ids":[],"classification_ids":["TM-13"],"classification_titles":["sculpture"],"subject_id":null,"alt_subject_ids":[],"subject_ids":[],"subject_titles":[],"material_id":null,"alt_material_ids":[],"material_ids":[],"material_titles":[],"technique_id":null,"alt_technique_ids":[],"technique_ids":[],"technique_titles":[],"theme_titles":[],"image_id":"91feb694-5074-2f64-e16b-e84b9f1989cd","alt_image_ids":[],"document_ids":[],"sound_ids":[],"video_ids":[],"text_ids":[],"section_ids":[],"section_titles":[],"site_ids":[],"suggest_autocomplete_all":[{"input":["2015.141"],"contexts":{"groupings":["accession"]}},{"input":["Bourgeois Bust- Jeff and Ilona"],"weight":2810,"contexts":{"groupings":["title"]}}],"source_updated_at":"2026-07-02T12:11:33-05:00","updated_at":"2026-07-02T15:34:12-05:00","timestamp":"2026-07-12T01:54:34-05:00"},"info":{"license_text":"The `description` field in this response is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Generic License (CC-By) and the Terms and Conditions of artic.edu. 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