Fan
Unknown Artist
second quarter 19th century
Medium
Ivory, parchment
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 George Arents in memory of Annie Walter Arents, 1949
Accession Number
2009.300.4592
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant fan, crafted in the second quarter of the19th century by an unknown European artist, the exquisite handiwork of Regency-era accessories. Fashioned from delicate ivory for the sticks and guards, with a parchment leaf, it highlights the technical mastery of materials prized for their lightness and translucency. Ivory, sourced from elephant tusks, allowed for intricate carving, while parchment a smooth surface ideal for painting or gilding—common techniques that elevated fans from mere utilities to fashionable statements. The fan's artwork, adorned with scenes of men, women, Cupid, ...