Fan
c. 1850–1870
Medium
Leaf: gouache on paper; sticks and guards: mother-of-pearl; pivot: gold
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.242},"spread":{"width":0.461}}
Classification
Miscellaneous
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Helen Humphreys
Accession Number
1960.267
Tags
About this artwork
This folding fan decorated with figures in 18th-century costume dancing, playing music, and flirting exemplifies the Rococo revival in America. In response to widespread urbanization and the spread of manufacturing, wealthy members of American society embraced styles and subjects of the past such as the fête champêtre (outdoor entertainment). This luxurious, handmade object denounces the mechanization of mass production.
About the Artist
Marie Gallois (French)
Georges Hugnet (1906–1974) was a multifaceted French artist, poet, writer, and critic whose innovative collages and graphic works bridged Dada and Surrealism. Born in Paris on July 11, 1906, he spent much of his early childhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, returning to France around 1913. His early life and artistic training remain sparsely documented, with no records of formal art school attendanc...