The Great Exhibition of 1851
Fan
1851 (made)
1851 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This fan commemorates the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations of 1851. Prince Albert organised the exhibition to celebrate the products and manufactures of the world. The site was Joseph Paxton’s ‘Crystal Palace’ in Hyde Park in London. Fans were part of the exhibition, both as items of display and as souvenirs of the event. This fan was probably one of the more expensive souvenir versions. It has bone sticks rather than the less expensive wood ones. The reverse of the fan leaf is printed in gilt with vignettes of female silhouettes alternating with coats-of-arms.
The proceeds of the Great Exhibition allowed the purchase of land for the South Kensington Museum, now the Victoria & Albert Museum. The V&A acquired many of the Great Exhibition’s winning entries. They now form an integral part of the its collections.
The proceeds of the Great Exhibition allowed the purchase of land for the South Kensington Museum, now the Victoria & Albert Museum. The V&A acquired many of the Great Exhibition’s winning entries. They now form an integral part of the its collections.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Great Exhibition of 1851 (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Hand-coloured printed paper, pierced bone, inlaid with silver, printed in gilt |
| Brief description | Fan 'The Great Exhibition of 1851' made of hand-coloured printed paper with pierced bone sticks and guards inlaid with silver, Great Britain, 1851 |
| Physical description | Fan made of hand-coloured printed paper with pierced bone sticks and guards inlaid with silver. With a view in the centre of the façade of Crystal Palace flanked by flags of various nations. The reverse is printed in gilt with vignettes of female silhouettes alternating with coats of arms. |
| Credit line | Given by Miss Farrar |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This fan commemorates the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations of 1851. Prince Albert organised the exhibition to celebrate the products and manufactures of the world. The site was Joseph Paxton’s ‘Crystal Palace’ in Hyde Park in London. Fans were part of the exhibition, both as items of display and as souvenirs of the event. This fan was probably one of the more expensive souvenir versions. It has bone sticks rather than the less expensive wood ones. The reverse of the fan leaf is printed in gilt with vignettes of female silhouettes alternating with coats-of-arms. The proceeds of the Great Exhibition allowed the purchase of land for the South Kensington Museum, now the Victoria & Albert Museum. The V&A acquired many of the Great Exhibition’s winning entries. They now form an integral part of the its collections. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.290-1971 |
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| Record created | December 12, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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