Fan

Art Historical Context

This delicate fan from late 1780s France the opulent accessories of pre-Revolutionary aristocratic life. Crafted from ivory sticks and a paper leaf, it served as both a practical tool for cooling and a fashionable statement piece. Fans like this were essential in the lavish social scenes of Versailles and Parisian salons, where they fluttered as subtle instruments of flirtation and coded communication—women could convey messages through intricate fan movements, a playful art form known as "le langage des éventails." The use of ivory, a prized material symbolizing wealth and craftsmanship, paired with delicately painted or printed paper, highlights the technical finesse of French fan-making during the Rococo era's twilight. As Europe edged toward Neoclassicism, such objects captured a moment of extravagant refinement before the upheavals of 1789. Today, housed in the Met's Costume Institute from the Brooklyn Museum collection, it offers a tangible glimpse into gender-fluid fashion—suitable for both men and women—and the cultural rituals of 18th-century high society. (178 words)