Joseph Cornell

American, 1903-1972. Cornell was known for his specimens of assemblage and was also a celebrated and progressive filmmaker whose work was greatly influenced by the Surrealists. He was recognized for his boxed construction and collages popular as “shadow boxes”, which he composed using found objects such as marbles, toys, shells, and other baubles accumulated from souvenir shops and trash heaps. He was said to possess a fondness for ballet, literature, and opera other than his keen interest in techniques of cinematics.