About This Artwork

Joseph Cornell
American, 1903–1972

Yellow Chamber, 1950–51

Box construction
17 3/4 x 12 1/4 x 4 1/2 in.
Titled, dated, signed, and inscribed on back on four paper labels: Directions for care of box inside top cover (typed and photostated, “directions” not found) / YELLOW CHAMBER / 1950-1951. (typed) / Joseph Cornell (in the artist’s hand) / KEEP GLASS CLEAN (typed and photostated)
Lindy and Edwin Bergman Joseph Cornell Collection, 1982.1866

Art © The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

Exhibition, Publication and Ownership Histories

Exhibition History

Paris, Galerie Daniel Cordier, Exposition internationale du surréalisme, 1959-60, no cat. nos., p. 114.

Paris, Musée Rodin, Etats-Unis: Sculptures du XXe siècle, 1965-66, traveled to Berlin and Baden-Baden, Fr. cat., no. 7; Ger. cat., no. 5.

New York, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Joseph Cornell, 1967, no cat. nos., p. 23.

Kassel, Galerie an der Schönen Aussicht, Museum Fridericianum, and Orangerie im Auepark, 4.documenta, 1968, vol. 2, no. 6.

Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, Cornell in Chicago, 1973-74, no cat. nos., n. pag.

Chicago, Joseph Cornell, 1980-82, traveled to London, Düsseldorf, Florence, Paris, and Chicago, exh. cat., no. S-20.

Ownership History

William N. Copley, Paris; traded for Hans Bellmer, Hands and Arms, c. 1950, oil on canvas, to Lindy and Edwin Bergman, Chicago, 1961; given to the Art Institute, 1982.