We are going to a theater in Zürich tonight. So not a lot of time and just a quick shot of some Ginkgo leaves spread out on my table at the moment. They are collected over the years, from various trees from all over the world. I love it, how different the leaf form is, from the different trees. Yes you are right, this is my favorite tree.
Some of the leaves feature in my art projects,... as they are, gold plated or together with abstract leaves, like the golden one in the middle.
Interesting for me: The ginkgo biloba tree is a living fossil, recognisably similar to fossils dating back 270 million years. It's not recognized as deciduous trees, nor as a conifers and is a kind of link between the groups.
This beautiful tree, which its special shape, has also an exceptional slit foliage, which is not only marveled by myself, also the famous poet Goethe admired the leaves and used theme in his writing as a symbol of friendship. He mentioned the Ginkgo tree, in his romantic poems:
This leaf from a tree in the East,
Has been given to my garden.
It reveals a certain secret,
Which pleases me and thoughtful people.
Is it a living being,
Which has separated in itself?
Or are these two, who chose
To be recognized as one?
Answering this kind of question,
Haven't I found the proper meaning,
Don't you feel in my songs,
That I'm one and double?
Have a lovely Friday night and a gorgeous 3. advent weekend.
I also love the shape of the tree and the shape of the leaves, and I have a gold-covered gingko leaf pendant somewhere in my jewellery drawer. I love the colours, textures and of course the shapes in this collection, fav for me. Thanks also for the translated Goethe poem, I am going to try and find the original. Of course we read some Goethe when I was studying German at university (many years ago) but I don't remember this one.
Meinem Garten anvertraut,
Gibt geheimen Sinn zu kosten,
Wie's den Wissenden erbaut.
Ist es Ein lebendig Wesen,
Das sich in sich selbst getrennt?
Sind es zwei, die sich erlesen,
Dass man sie als Eines kennt?
Solche Frage zu erwidern,
Fand ich wohl den rechten Sinn.
Fühlst du nicht in meinen Liedern,
Dass ich Eins und doppelt bin.
(1815)