Fan
1800-1900
Medium
Decorative Arts
Classification
Decorative Arts
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore through Mr. Henry L. Milmore
Accession Number
1956.6.10
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant 19th-century fan, crafted by an unidentified artist between 1800 and 1900, exemplifies the artistry of American decorative arts. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum through the generous bequest of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore, it features a captivating scene with a monument, a figure group and a palm tree—ifs that blend grandeur, human narrative, and exotic allure. Fans like this were not mere utilities but fashionable accessories, often hand-painted or intricately mounted on materials like silk, paper, or ivory, showcasing the era's fascination with Romanticism and orientalism...
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –