Elizabeth (Betty) Cornell Benton AKA Betty Voohr (American, 1905-2000) printed paper collage on board titled "Stone Head in Mountainous Landscape" depicting the monumental stone head of a female and another stone structure arranged along with a mountain, a female figure, and three round planet-like objects in the surrounding landscape. Signed "Betty Voorh" to piece of paper affixed en verso with inscription reading "for Leila" en verso. Housed under plexiglass in a white gold gilt frame with an off-white linen mat. Sight: 11 1/2" H x 8 1/2" W. Framed: 20 3/4" H x 17 1/2" W. Note: Benton, who signed her work Betty Voohr, was the sister of avant-garde Assemblage artist and experimental filmmaker Joseph Cornell (New York, 1903-1972). Herself a former student of Edward Hopper, the two artist-siblings often collaborated. (Source: Oral history interview with Elizabeth Cornell Benton, 1976, April 21, Smithsonian Archives of American Art) A Christie's appraisal available to the winning bidder describes this collage as a collaboration between Betty and Joseph. For comparable examples of their collaborative collages see: Joseph Cornell Papers, Series 7: Art Works, circa 1966-1971, Box 19, Smithsonian Archives of American Art. Leila Hadley Luce (New York, 1925-2009), to whom the collage is dedicated, was a frequent subject as well as recipient of Joseph Cornell's artwork. The inscription "For Leila" en verso matches the inscription in Joseph's hand on the work "Leila's Name," 1969, auctioned at Doyle in 2010. (See Doyle's European, American, Modern & Contemporary Art sale; May 5, 2010; lot 122)

PROVENANCE: Private Knoxville, Tennessee collection. Gifted to present owner, from the collection of Mrs. Henry Luce III, also known as Leila Hadley Luce, of New York.

CONDITION: 1/2" x 1/4" area of lifting/separation between hair tendril on sculpture and board, otherwise very good condition. Not examined outside of frame. Frame with minor abrasions.