Artwork Details
- Title
- Ginkgo Brooch
- Artist
- Date
- 2002
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 2 5⁄8 × 2 × 1⁄2 in. (6.6 × 5.2 × 1.2 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of the James Renwick Alliance
- Mediums Description
- 18K gold, moonstones, and bighorn sheep horn
- Classifications
- Keywords
- Object — foliage — ginkgo
- Object Number
- 2003.11
Artwork Description
A ginko tree in the Smithsonian Castle courtyard inspired Jim Kelso’s Ginko Brooch. He carefully carved the horn to make sure that it would remain strong, yet still convey the lightness and delicacy of the ginko leaf. He drew on his knowledge of Japanese design principles and his admiration of René Lalique’s gold and carved horn jewelry to come up with the design. Although Kelso admits that “the result is nearly a botanical study,” his goal was not accuracy, but to convey his impression of “ginkoness.” (Jim Kelso, Certificate of Origin)