Fan Case with Citron, Tripod and Lotus
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Silk, metallic thread
Dimensions
Overall: 12 1/2 x 2 1/2 in. (31.8 x 6.4 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of William Christian Paul, 1929
Accession Number
30.75.839
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite fan case, embroidered on silk with metallic threads, hails from China's Qing dynasty (16441911), a period renowned for its refined textile arts and imperial splendor. Dating to the 18th–19th century, this slender accessory—measuring just 12½ x 2½ inches—was designed to protect a gentleman's folding fan, a quintessential item for scholars and elites in daily life and social rituals. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art Department, it entered the collection through the 1929 bequest of William Christian Paul, preserving a glimpse of everyday luxury from imperial China. T...