Ghost Plate with Mickey Mouse Ears

Jim Melchert, Ghost Plate with Mickey Mouse Ears, 1964, glazed earthenware, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the James Renwick Alliance, 2001.8
Jim Melchert, Ghost Plate with Mickey Mouse Ears, 1964, glazed earthenware, 414 in. (10.235.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the James Renwick Alliance, 2001.8

Artwork Details

Title
Ghost Plate with Mickey Mouse Ears
Artist
Date
1964
Dimensions
414 in. (10.235.6 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the James Renwick Alliance
Mediums Description
glazed earthenware
Classifications
Subjects
  • State of being — phenomenon — occult
  • Cartoon — comics — Mickey Mouse
  • Figure male — full length
  • Figure — head
  • Architecture — vehicle
Object Number
2001.8

Artwork Description

Ghost Plate with Mickey Mouse Ears is Jim Melchert’s favorite piece from a series of works created in 1964. He was inspired by a line from Ingmar Bergman’s film The Silence that reads, “One must tread carefully among the ghosts in your past.” Melchert decorated the plates and jars of this series with masks and used them to work through issues from his past. The ghost in this piece wears a Mickey Mouse hat. This is a playful image, but is also meant to evoke the humiliation of a child wearing a dunce cap.

Works by this artist (162 items)

Chiura Obata, El Capitán, 1931, color woodcut on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Obata Family, 2000.76.24, © 1989, Lillian Yuri Kodani
El Capitán
Date1931
color woodcut on paper
Not on view
Chiura Obata, Untitled (Magnolia in a Blue Round Vase), ca.1930s, ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Estate of Chiura Obata, 2020.74
Untitled (Magnolia in a Blue Round Vase)
Dateca.1930s
ink on paper
Not on view
Chiura Obata, Landslide, 1941, watercolor on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Estate of Chiura Obata, 2020.72.2
Landslide
Date1941
watercolor on paper
Not on view
Chiura Obata, Topaz, ca. 1942, pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Estate of Chiura Obata, 2020.72.5
Topaz
Dateca. 1942
pencil on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

Claire Falkenstein, City is Man, 1941-1952, linocut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.14, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
City is Man
Date1941-1952
linocut
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Untitled, 1976, embossed paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.18, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Untitled
Date1976
embossed paper
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Mandala, 1977, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.19, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Mandala
Date1977
lithograph
Not on view
Nathan Oliveira, Site with Blue and White, 1978, monotype, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Moses Lasky, 2004.32.14
Site with Blue and White
Date1978
monotype
Not on view