Object by Joseph Cornell, New York, 1933

Lee Miller was first introduced to Joseph Cornell by Julien Levy, who exhibited each artist's work at his celebrated gallery in the last months of 1932. These exhibitions, which ran consecutively, were the first solo shows for both Cornell and Miller. Having spent the previous three years in Paris working with Man Ray and other Surrealist artists, Miller was drawn to Cornell and his work, and the creative interest was mutual. Cornell began to visit Miller's 48th Street studio every two to three weeks with a new object for her to photograph, and the resulting images are considered some of Miller's strongest from the period.