This fan depicts the storming of Jerusalem during the First Crusade in 1099. In 1096, a large army from Western Europe was raised by fervent preaching to re-establish Christian rule in the Holy Land of Palestine, then governed by Muslims.

Many legends grew up around the main events of the Crusade. Here Godfrey de Bouillon, one of the army's leaders, is miraculously healed after suffering a serious wound in the battle leading up to the storming of the citadel. It is likely that this story originates from one of a cycle of chansons de geste, ballads or epic poems performed by professional storytellers, which related the events of the First Crusade.

The popularity and longevity of chansons de geste goes some way to explaining the depiction of this rather incongruous subject upon a fan. Godfrey de Bouillon was the hero of several later epics, including La Gerusalemme Liberata by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso, first published in 1581. That version of Godfrey's story was hugely successful across Europe and scenes from the poem were used to decorate the French palace of Fontainebleau, and were also depicted by artists including Guercino and Boucher.