Lorgnette Fan
Unknown Artist
late 18th–early 19th century
Medium
Gauze, tinsel, ivory
Dimensions
L. 6 7/8 inches 17.5 cm.
Classification
Fans
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. Maria P. James, 1911
Accession Number
11.60.188
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of French high society with this enchanting *Lorgnette Fan* from the late 18th to early 19th century. Crafted delicate gauze adorned with shimmering tinsel and a refined ivory handle, this compact accessory measures just 6 7/8 inches (17.5 cm) long. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decor Arts, it exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of French fan-making during a time of post-Revolutionary refinement and Napoleonic grandeur. A lorgnette fan ingeniously combined a folding fan with built-in eyeglasses on a handle, allo...