Bridesmaid's Fan
late 19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This miniature fan was preserved with a group of Victorian wedding dress accessories. It is believed to have been a wedding favour for a bridesmaid at a 1887 ceremony. Measuring under 22 cm when opened, it is the right size for a young girl to carry.
Many of the Museum's adult fans are luxury objects, with unique hand-painted designs and finely carved sticks. They would have been preserved for their beauty and workmanship. This child's fan, which is in fine condition, is a rare survival. It would have been mass- produced, with simply painted wooden sticks and a commercially printed paper leaf. The leaf is further accented with gilding and tiny metal sequins. The romantic scene depicting a shepherdess being politely courted by a well-dressed gentleman would have been appropriate for a bridesmaid's fan.
Many of the Museum's adult fans are luxury objects, with unique hand-painted designs and finely carved sticks. They would have been preserved for their beauty and workmanship. This child's fan, which is in fine condition, is a rare survival. It would have been mass- produced, with simply painted wooden sticks and a commercially printed paper leaf. The leaf is further accented with gilding and tiny metal sequins. The romantic scene depicting a shepherdess being politely courted by a well-dressed gentleman would have been appropriate for a bridesmaid's fan.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Lithographed paper accented with gilding and spangles, hand-painted wood |
| Brief description | Miniature fan, gilded and lithographed with pastoral 18th-century scene of shepherdess and suitor, possibly Great Britain, late 19th century |
| Physical description | Miniature fan. Paper leaf, gilded and lithographed in vibrant colours with a pastoral 18th-century scene depicting a shepherdess and her suitor, rococo scrolls, accented with small metal spangles. Reverse of leaf in tan paper fleckled with gold leaf. 16 hand-painted wood sticks (including guards). |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label |
|
| Credit line | Given by Edward Nugée QC |
| Object history | This is associated with the wedding of Elizabeth Wroughton Richards to the Reverend Andrew Nugee on 8th August 1854, but might be connected to their son's wedding in 1887. It is believed to have been a wedding favour for a bridesmaid. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This miniature fan was preserved with a group of Victorian wedding dress accessories. It is believed to have been a wedding favour for a bridesmaid at a 1887 ceremony. Measuring under 22 cm when opened, it is the right size for a young girl to carry. Many of the Museum's adult fans are luxury objects, with unique hand-painted designs and finely carved sticks. They would have been preserved for their beauty and workmanship. This child's fan, which is in fine condition, is a rare survival. It would have been mass- produced, with simply painted wooden sticks and a commercially printed paper leaf. The leaf is further accented with gilding and tiny metal sequins. The romantic scene depicting a shepherdess being politely courted by a well-dressed gentleman would have been appropriate for a bridesmaid's fan. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.14-2008 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | February 26, 2008 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
