Untitled (Paul and Virginia) 1948

"Untitled (Paul and Virginia)" is a 1948 assemblage box by American artist Joseph Cornell, known for his intricate and whimsical box constructions. This particular work features found objects, including book pages, prints, and glass, arranged within a wooden cabinet structure. The text excerpts on the exterior pages refer to the novel "Paul and Virginia" by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, while the interior reveals a layered composition of blue glass tiles, a bird’s nest, and a cut-out window that looks like a miniature sky. This work exemplifies Cornell’s signature style, characterized by his use of everyday objects to create evocative and surreal scenes that evoke a sense of mystery and nostalgia.