“If you bash into the web of a spider,” said Louise Bourgeois, known for her giant steel spider sculptures, “she doesn’t get mad. She weaves and repairs it.” Though intimidating at first, Bourgeois’s spiders are actually reflections of the most important person in her life, her beloved mother, who wove tapestries. At Rijksmuseum Gardens, 12 pieces by Bourgeois include Spider (1996), Crouching Spider (2003), and the eerie Spider Couple (2003). —E.C.

Also in Amsterdam: “Louise Bourgeois: To Unravel Torment,” Voorlinden Museum & Gardens (October 12, 2019 – May 17, 2020).