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Mixed Media Collage - Signed on reverse - Artist Estate Inventory #2c-50D (UC13.1) // The Smile in the Giftshop by Joseph Cornell is a mixed-media collage created around 1960. This piece is characteristic of Cornell’s enigmatic and surreal style, combining elements of drawing, watercolor, and collage on a small scale. The composition centers on a whimsical figure with a face hovering in a circular form, reminiscent of a celestial body, supported by a delicate, swirling shape that appears to merge with the background. The upper section features the text Hôtel des Voyageurs, suggesting an ethereal or otherworldly journey. Cornell’s work evokes nostalgia and mystery, drawing viewers into an imaginary, dreamlike realm.
The Smile in the Giftshop, c. 1960
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30.5 x 22.9 cm
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Details
Artist
Styles
Mixed Media Collage - Signed on reverse - Artist Estate Inventory #2c-50D (UC13.1) // The Smile in the Giftshop by Joseph Cornell is a mixed-media collage created around 1960. This piece is characteristic of Cornell’s enigmatic and surreal style, combining elements of drawing, watercolor, and collage on a small scale. The composition centers on a whimsical figure with a face hovering in a circular form, reminiscent of a celestial body, supported by a delicate, swirling shape that appears to merge with the background. The upper section features the text Hôtel des Voyageurs, suggesting an ethereal or otherworldly journey. Cornell’s work evokes nostalgia and mystery, drawing viewers into an imaginary, dreamlike realm.
What is appropriation?
Appropriation in art involves using pre-existing images or objects with little or no modification. This technique has played a significant role across various art forms, including visual arts, music, performance, and literature. In visual arts, appropriation refers to the practice of adopting, sampling, recycling, or borrowing elements—or even entire forms—of existing visual culture, integrating them into new works to create meaning or critique.