Fan
Unknown Artist
1860–79
Medium
tortoiseshell, paper, mother-of-pearl, metal, silk
Classification
Fan
Culture
European
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Sarah Bergen Pierce, 1944
Accession Number
2009.300.1780
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite fan, crafted between 1860 and 1879 by an unknown European artist, exemplifies the opulent accessories of the Victorian era. Made from tortoiseshell for its lightweight, translucent frame, adorned with shimmering mother-of-pearl inlays, delicate paper, metal fittings, and silk accents, it represents the height of 19th-century luxury handcraft. Tortoiseshell, harvested from hawksbill sea turtles, was prized for durability and warm glow, while mother-of-pearl added a pearlescent elegance often seen in high-society items. These materials highlight the fan's status as a fashionable e...