Fortune Teller

Elizabeth de Gebele Ginno

Elizabeth de Gebele Ginno explores shape and movement in this early, Abstract etching of a fortune teller. Ginno’s style ran the gamut in genres, touching on Realism, Abstract Expressionism, non-representational Abstraction, Cubism, and more, and the connecting thread of strength lay in her composition. Echoes of the design sensibilities of the Bauhaus are evident in her use of strong contrasts and stylized shapes. Here, the face of the fortune teller is central to the piece and the whirling, multi-dimensional world around her projects an air of mystery.

Ginno took inspiration from a variety of genres - Surrealism, non-representational Abstract Expressionism, Cubism - and worked in several printmaking mediums, constantly exploring shape, line, and color. Ginno was a chameleon, able to shift from style to style with ease, likely due to her lack of inhibition when it came to finding new paths of expression.

Ginno would eventually become more well known for promoting her husband John Winkler’s work, and to some degree she set aside her own pursuit of art. Nevertheless, her varied, fascinating output, with roots in classical training and a style that was defined by curiosity, retains a niche in the California printmaking world.