Bacchus and Ariadne
Fan
c. 1740 (made)
c. 1740 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This fan would have been a luxury item. The leaf is made of vellum, a type of specially prepared animal skin. It has been hand-painted very skilfully in subdued colours with the myth of Bacchus and Ariadne. The maker has applied additional decoration of cut straw and mother-of-pearl. These would have caught the light and make the fan glitter as the owner waved it to and fro.The ivory sticks are richly carved and pierced. The person who made this fan in the mid-1700s could have been French or English. Both the fan leaf and the sticks are of the highest quality, so it would have been a very expensive piece.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Bacchus and Ariadne (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Gouache on vellum, with applied cut rye straw and mother-of-pearl (probably Haliotis varia), and carved ivory sticks (Loxodonta sp.)
Caroline Cartwright, Senior Scientist, Department of Scientific Research, identified the mother-of-pearl as probably Haliotis varia (2019). |
| Brief description | Gouache on vellum with applied cut straw and mother of pearl, and ivory sticks, England, mid-18th century |
| Physical description | Gouache on vellum with the subject of Bacchus and Ariadne. The top edge of the mount has a gold painted border. Amongst painted flowers at either side of the leaf, additional decoration by cut dyed (green) and natural straw, and mother of pearl in shape of petals forming flowers. The back of the mount display chinoiserie scene of painted sprigs of cherry blossoms, colourful flowers and a black and red bird perching on one of the branches. The ivory sticks are richly carved and pierced showing classical motifs, and musical instruments on the guards. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased for £14 from M. Baur, Paris on May 8, 1869. RF 531/69 not found. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This fan would have been a luxury item. The leaf is made of vellum, a type of specially prepared animal skin. It has been hand-painted very skilfully in subdued colours with the myth of Bacchus and Ariadne. The maker has applied additional decoration of cut straw and mother-of-pearl. These would have caught the light and make the fan glitter as the owner waved it to and fro.The ivory sticks are richly carved and pierced. The person who made this fan in the mid-1700s could have been French or English. Both the fan leaf and the sticks are of the highest quality, so it would have been a very expensive piece. |
| Bibliographic reference | Hart, A. & Taylor, E. Fans. London: V&A Publications, 1998, pp25-26, ill. plate 11 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 531-1869 |
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| Record created | November 11, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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