Design for a Hand Fan (Right Plate)
ca.1734â37
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-490-5
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
### Design for a Hand Fan (Right Plate) Created around 1734–37 by the French artist Bellay, who was active from that year onward, this print served as a design template for the right side of a hand fan. during the early Rococo period in France under Louis XV, hand fans were indispensable fashion accessories for women, elaborately decorated to convey status, flirtation, or social commentary through subtle motifs and imagery. As a print—likely an etching or engraving—this work represents a practical fusion of art and craft, allowing designs to be easily reproduced and transferred onto delicate ...