Historical fans – anonymous, c. 1920
€395
Drawing with watercolour of three historical fans, presumably made in Paris around 1920. Size (paper): 32,2 × 24,7 cm.
Between 1900 and 1930, interest in historical fans saw a strong revival. Antique fans were collected, studied, and exhibited as decorative art objects.
This drawing depicts three fans from different stylistic periods, each with its own character and function. At the upper left, we see a Rococo fan from the second half of the 18th century, recognizable by its exuberant colours, swirling forms, and ivory frame. The finely painted vellum often features mythological or pastoral scenes. During this period, the fan became a beloved fashion accessory, allowing ladies of the upper classes to display their taste and elegance.
To its right, a Régence fan from the early 18th century represents the transition to a refined, gallant style. This elegant folding fan (pliable) has a mount of engraved mother-of-pearl and a vellum leaf painted in the airy manner of Nicolas Lancret. Such fans, with figures heightened in gold, adorned the hands of ladies at balls, receptions, and visits to the opera.
At the bottom, we see a Renaissance fan, presumably composed of graceful ostrich feathers and a richly crafted handle of ivory, wood, or silver. This type of rigid fan, popular at European courts in the 16th and 17th centuries, was not meant to fold but functioned as a status symbol and ceremonial accessory: an exotic showpiece designed to impress.
Price: Euro 395,-
.
