2012.73.05

Folding fan with double paper pleated leaf. The hand painted and gilded lithograph shows a romantic pastoral scene of a shepherdess and her friends enjoying the company of several attentive young men. The reverse leaf side is metallic blue paper with a hand painted lithograph cartouche scene depicting a man and woman playing chess. Wood or papier macher sticks and guards are hand painted, gilded and japanned (a European method of varnishing surfaces that imitated East Asian lacquerware). At the rivet, a blue silk covered fob is attached to the ornate metal loop.

Guard length: 10.75"
Leaf height: 4.25"
Open width: 20.125"
Arc (degrees when open): 170
12 sticks / 2 guards

Italy or France

c. 1860

Anonymous gift

This online exhibition is made possible through a generous grant from the Fan Association of North America (FANA).