Untitled (Primary Title)
Medici Slot Machine (Series Title)
Shadow box (Object Name)
Joseph Cornell, American, 1903 - 1972 (Artist)
“Shadow boxes become poetic theater or settings wherein are metamorphosed the elements of a childhood pastime.” —Joseph Cornell
Cornell began making his box-constructions in the 1930s. Over time, they have been associated with Surrealism, Assemblage, and even Pop Art. Cornell often supplemented a work’s found objects with imagery sourced from magazines, books, or other artists. Here a reproduction of Bronzino’s Renaissance portrait of Bia de’ Medici serves as the focal point. Around it, Cornell placed blocks and a scrap of pink ribbon. He may have chosen the image because of his fondness for children, as well as the connection between Bia, who died young, and his brother, Robert, who suffered from cerebral palsy. This box is considered unfinished; Cornell worked on multiple boxes simultaneously, often putting them in storage to resume work at a later date.
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