La Mangouste

Textile

-

Milwaukee Public Library

Name/Title

La Mangouste

Collection

Permanent Art Collection

Acquisition

Accession

1957.3

Source or Donor

Faye McBeath Fund

Acquisition Method

Purchase

Made/Created

Artist

Joan Miró

Manufacturer

Unidentified

Date made

circa 1957

Notes

Christie's reports that the “La Mangouste” motif, "[c]onceived in 1935," "was first executed as a tapestry in 1960 by Marie Cuttoli in an unnumbered edition and was later reissued by Lucie Weill-Seligmann, Au pont des arts, in a limited edition of approx. 10-15 examples." However, the item in the MPL Collection was installed in the Central Youth Library by 1957. It is also numbered 4/10. Also, the item in the MPL collection seems to be smaller than other examples found, which all seem to measure around 60"H x 80"W.

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Signature

Transcription

"J. MIRO 4/10"

Material/Technique

Woven

Type

Label

Transcription

"MADE IN FRANCE"

Dimensions

Height

43 in

Width

60 in

Interpretative Labels

Label

Although not intended by the artist as a work of children's art, Library records describe it as a "theme based on Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" ('The Mongoose'). It was made in France and acquired for the opening of the Central Youth Library in 1957. The work was a centerpiece of the Central Youth Library, which provided innovative, world-class services to children and youth at the Milwaukee Central Library. The Central Youth Library is known today as the Central Library Children's Room: https://www.mpl.org/hours_locations/betty_brinn.php