Hand Fan Design with a Chinoiserie Landscape and Ornament
mid- 18th century
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-417-14
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant print by French artist Alexis Peyrotte captures the refined taste of mid-18th-century Europe through its Chinoiserie design intended for a hand fan. Peyrotte, active during the Rococo period, specialized in ornamental patterns that blended playful curves with exotic motifs. The composition likely features delicate pagodas, stylized figures, and scrolling foliage rendered in the light, asymmetrical style characteristic of French decorative arts at the time. Hand fans served as both practical accessories and status symbols in 18th-century society, often showcasing the latest artist...