Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by Joseph Cornell. It dates from 1972 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
The piece reflects Cornell’s interest in layered imagery and tactile surfaces, extending his assemblage practice into printmaking.
Created in 1972, this screenprint by Joseph Cornell is one of seven works in a mixed-media portfolio. It combines screenprinting with stencil and varnish layers, alongside other techniques like lithography and photogravure. The piece reflects Cornell’s interest in layered imagery and tactile surfaces, extending his assemblage practice into printmaking. Unlike traditional prints, it retains the irregular, hand-altered quality of his boxed constructions.
Subject & Meaning
At the center is a woman’s face, likely drawn from vintage photographs, surrounded by fragmented images and the text 'L’Abeille Hotel du Nord.' The title’s reference to a Parisian hotel suggests a quiet, nostalgic urban memory. The torn edges and overlapping fragments evoke the passage of time and the fragility of personal recollection, aligning with Cornell’s recurring themes of longing and lost worlds.
Technique & Style
Cornell employed screenprinting with hand-applied stencils and varnish to build texture and depth, creating a sense of physical accumulation. The blue background serves as a field for layered photographic fragments, while the brown, torn borders mimic aged paper. These methods mimic the collage aesthetic of his three-dimensional works, translating their tactile complexity into a two-dimensional format without losing their intimate, handmade character.
History & Provenance
This print was produced as part of a limited portfolio in 1972, likely in collaboration with a print workshop. Cornell, who lived most of his life in Queens, New York, rarely traveled and worked in relative seclusion. The portfolio was distributed through galleries and collectors familiar with his work, preserving its connection to his broader practice while remaining distinct from his more widely known boxes.
Context
Cornell’s work in the 1970s continued his lifelong engagement with Surrealist aesthetics and poetic juxtaposition. Though not formally part of the Surrealist movement, he shared its fascination with dreamlike associations and found objects. His print portfolio emerged during a period when artists were increasingly exploring hybrid techniques, blending traditional print methods with experimental, non-industrial processes.
Legacy
This print exemplifies Cornell’s ability to transform humble materials into evocative visual poetry. His integration of printmaking with collage principles influenced later generations of artists working in mixed-media and conceptual print forms. The work remains a quiet testament to his methodical, introspective process—where each fragment carries emotional weight, and every layer suggests an unseen narrative.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph Cornell (December 24, 1903 – December 29, 1972) was an American visual artist and filmmaker, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage.
