Cornell's surreal box constructions seemed to pop out into the world fully formed, but were in fact influenced by some very old traditions. In fact the history of 'the box' format spans many centuries, but where did it all begin and how did Cornell adapt these traditions for his own use?

Jardine (2003) from the BBC program 'The World in a Box' describes the earliest box format:

"Since earliest times we have collected extraordinary and exotic objects to wonder at and puzzle over. From the 16th century they were showcased in private collections called 'Wunderkammer'. or 'Cabinets of Wonder'. Art and artifacts, specimens and instruments were jumbled together in celebration of the known universe... ...When we talk about 'The box' today of course we mean television. We turn to it for entertainment, stimulation and sometimes for knowledge. Well these rather more exclusive boxes served a similar function in the 16th and 17th century europe. They would have belonged to the royalty or rich nobility. Inside was a display of fantastic treasures arranged to excite curiosity and awe. Collections were status symbols, but they were also a response to renaissance ideals, to be curious about the world and hunt out its' secrets."

Mueller (2003) describes the continued fascination for 'cabinet of wonders':

"through the history of europe: A giddy craze was sweeping across Europe at the turn of the 17th century. The wealthy and the well-connected were hoarding things-strange things-into obsessive personal collections. Starfish, forked carrots, monkey teeth, alligator skins, phosphorescent minerals, Indian canoes, and unicorn tails were acquired eagerly and indiscriminately. Associations among these objects, if they were made at all, often reflected a collector's personal vision of an underlying natural order."

'The box' (part 1)
It is my opinion that Joseph Cornell's box constructions occupy a unique place in the history of art. I believe that his work in the 1940's and 1950's influenced the subsequent movements of Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Graphic Art of the 1970's and1980's and up to the present day (see pics right)