Ginkgo Leaves - The Modern Beauty of a Prehistoric Plant

The cover of the June 2014 edition of Elle Decor features a bronze ginkgo chair by Claude Lalanne. Ms. Lalanne's beautiful creations are timeless, as is the ginkgo, which is "a living fossil." Also known as the maidenhair tree, the ginkgo has green fan-shaped leaves, which turn yellow in the autumn and fall to the ground in a pile of gold. This remarkable tree, which is native to China and dates back millions of years, was able to withstand the devastating effects of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. It has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.

"In the living room, a painting by Ryan McGinness hangs above a custom-made banquette covered in a pollack velvet; the cocktail table is by Willy Daro, the bronze chair is by Claude Lalanne, and the ceiling fixture is a custom design." [The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond currently is featuring an exhibit - Ryan McGinness: Studio Visit through October 19, 2014.]
Interior design by James Aman.
Architectural renovation by Leroy Street Studio.
Photography by Douglas Friedman.
Text by Ingrid Abramovitch.
"Scaling New Heights" produced by Cynthia Frank.
Elle Decor (June 2014). 

"The living room's chairs, covered in a brocade by Pollack, and sofa are custom made, the vintage brass cocktail table and table lamps are by Willy Dara and the linen-and-metal rugs are by Holland and Sherry." Bronze chair by Claude Lalanne.

Architectural renovation by Leroy Street Studio.

Photography by Douglas Friedman.

Text by Ingrid Abramovitch.

"Scaling New Heights" produced by Cynthia Frank.

Elle Decor (June 2014). 

"In the living room, matching circa-1700 French mirrored bookcases from Galerie Steinitz flank one window; a John Chamberlain sculpture sits on the left cabinet, in front of a Pablo Picasso work, and an Andy Warhol silkscreen hangs above the one on the right. The Sills-designed club chairs are clad in a Lee Jofa fabric, and the bronze Ginkgo chairs are by Claude Lalanne."

1920s Manhattan apartment.

Interior design by Stephen Sills.

Architectural renovation by John B. Murray Architect.

Photography by Bjorn Wallander.

Text by Dan Shaw.

"Stephen Sills Reimagines a New York Apartment with Central Park Views" produced by Howard Christian.

Architectural Digest (October 2013). 

"A Roy Lichtenstein painting in the living room is bookended by bronze Charles Paris lamps atop 1940s Jansen tables. A leaf like bronze coupe by Hervé Van der Straeten from Maison Gerard is displayed on the cocktail table; the circa-1900 Amritsar rug is from Beauvais Carpets. The bronze Ginkgo chairs are by Claude Lalanne."

1920s Manhattan apartment.

Interior design by Stephen Sills.

Architectural renovation by John B. Murray Architect.

Photography by Bjorn Wallander.

Text by Dan Shaw.

"Stephen Sills Reimagines a New York Apartment with Central Park Views" produced by Howard Christian.

Architectural Digest (October 2013). 

"Les Grandes Berces" (2000), Claude Lalanne.

Bronze.

Ben Brown Fine Arts, London.

"Next to Nature, Art" by Tobias Grey.

Wall Street Journal (June 20, 2013).

Interior design by Kimberly Ayres.

Photo via Kimberly Ayres's website.

Ginkgo Wallpaper by Thibaut.

Ginkgo Wallpaper by Thibaut. Metallic on Aqua.
Other available colorways: Metallic on Citron, Metallic Gold, Pearl on Cream, Metallic on Taupe, Harvest Yellow, Metallic Silver, Slate Blue.

Pair of Tommaso Barbi Ginkgo Leaf Sconces. Brass. Made in Italy circa 1960. Offered by Antiques of River Oaks via 1stDibs.

Ginkgo Leaf Finials, brass, set of two by Anthropologie.

Ginkgo Leaf Knob by Notting Hill Decorative Hardware. Shown in Antique Brass.
Also available in Antique Pewter and Brite Nickel.

Ginkgo Platter by Fortunata.

Ginkgo by Marimekko.

"This delicate pattern was designed by Kristina Isola, daughter of Maija Isola, in 2008. Kristina learned the craft at her mother's knee, watching as Maija sketched textile patterns. 'My mother taught me to be methodical and to plan my work beforehand,' recalls Kristina. . . . Today Kristina works her own daughter, Emma, continuing the Isola family legacy within Marimekko."

"Celebrate Color with Marimekko and Dwell"  

  Maidenhair Tree or Ginkgo.

Illustrated by V. Choc, published in 1969.

"Interesting Vintage Book Illustration from a 1969 publication. This particular tree no longer grows in the wild and is used in ornamental gardens throughout the world. Darwin called it a living fossil."

Offered by Marcade Vintage Prints via Etsy.

“ 'Another really fabulous tree is on the west side of the Rotunda: the Pratt Ginkgo,' says [Mary] Hughes. This was the University’s first memorial tree and was planted in honor of William Pratt, superintendent of buildings and grounds just before the Civil War. 'As fall goes on, the tree turns bright yellow. The leaves fall practically overnight, and in the morning, the ground is covered with gold.' ”

University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Photography by Robert Llewellyn.

"Deep Rooted" by Emma Rathbone.

UVA Magazine.

"A bronze gingko-leaf bench by Claude Lalanne is flanked by 'Endless Summer' hydrangeas."

Photography by Jason Schmidt.

Text by Mitchell Owens.

"Peter Marino's Enchanting Hamptons Garden"

Architectural Digest (April 2014).

For additional photos of the work of Claude Lalanne and her late husband, Francois-Xavier Lalanne, please see my post, "Counting Sheep with 'Les Lalanne' "