Fan thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Fan

18th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Folding fans were costly luxury items which became popular throughout Europe. In mid-18th-century Paris there were 150 master fan makers working at one time. Paper, as well as scented skins, was used. The tortoiseshell sticks of this example are inlaid with tiny gold pins and strips (a technique called piqué), which was originally a speciality of Italian workshops. One side of this fan is painted with a woman fishing in elaborate Rococo dress. The other side shows the goddess Diana accompanied by three maidens.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Picque, inlaid tortoise-shell, gold and animal skin, possibly kid
Physical description
Picque, inlaid tortoise-shell
Gallery label
(26/11/2002)
Silver Gallery:
Folding fans with piqué-inlaid sticks, originally a speciality of Italian workshops, were costly luxury items which became popular throughout Europe. In mid-18th-century Paris, for instance, there were 150 master fan makers working. Paper as well as scented skins were used. One side of this fan is painted with a lady in Rococo dress fishing. The other side shows the Goddess Diana surrounded by three maids.
Credit line
Griffin Bequest
Summary
Folding fans were costly luxury items which became popular throughout Europe. In mid-18th-century Paris there were 150 master fan makers working at one time. Paper, as well as scented skins, was used. The tortoiseshell sticks of this example are inlaid with tiny gold pins and strips (a technique called piqué), which was originally a speciality of Italian workshops. One side of this fan is painted with a woman fishing in elaborate Rococo dress. The other side shows the goddess Diana accompanied by three maidens.
Collection
Accession number
M.265-1960

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Record createdFebruary 9, 2004
Record URL
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