Correspondence
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Cornell, Joseph
setName: label: See more items in
content: Joseph Cornell papers
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 4.3 Linear Feet (Boxes 1-5, OV 31)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1909-1982
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.cornjose, Series 2
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement note
content: In the existing arrangement, general correspondence, family correspondence, and greeting cards were maintained separately in distinct groupings of files. Based upon this, the Correspondence series is arranged as three subseries.

2.1: General Correspondence, 1909-1982

2.2: Family Correspondence, 1909-1977

2.3: Greeting Cards, 1956-1972
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: This series has been scanned in entirety.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: Series is comprised of Cornell's personal and professional correspondence, primarily consisting of letters, postcards, and greeting cards to Cornell from family, friends, artists, dealers, collectors, galleries, museums, admirers, "helpers," and charitable institutions. Also included, to a lesser extent, are letters between and amongst other members of the Cornell family. While Cornell did not usually make copies of his outgoing correspondence, he often wrote various versions of a letter. Several examples of these can be found amongst his correspondence, though it is unclear whether or not they represent letters that were actually sent. Files also include notes and printed material that pertain to various (often notable) individuals and/or institutions. Though most likely not actual correspondents, these individuals and institutions were of interest to Cornell in one way or another, which presumably led him to collect this material. Based upon this collecting activity, there is some overlap between correspondence and source material. Correspondence relating to Cornell and his artwork can be found amongst his estate papers.

In general, the correspondence is heavily annotated by Cornell's sister, Betty Cornell Benton, who prepared his papers for donation to the Archives. In her annotations, Benton often supplies the last name of the correspondent and sometimes the date of the letter when these are not provided. Other times, she provides information about or commentary on the correspondent and his/her relations with Cornell.

According to some of Benton's annotations, it seems likely that Cornell may have originally maintained some, if not all, of his correspondence in chronological files. At some point, correspondence was organized alphabetically according to the surname of the correspondent or name of institution. It is not clear whether this was carried out by Cornell, his sister, or someone in the Archives. The existing alphabetical organization has been maintained since, with so many undated letters, it would be impossible to reconstruct a meaningful chronological order.