Eventail plié
1880
unspecified
From the collection of Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
1880
unspecified
From the collection of Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
This fan is folded in half, showing a painted scene of three women in a garden. One woman sits on a chair, another stands nearby, and a child plays on the ground. The background has trees, a fence, and a building with columns. The fan’s handle has a tassel made of thin yarn, and the blades are decorated with cut-out glass pieces that catch the light. The watercolor painting on the fan looks soft and slightly blurred, like a quick sketch. Fans like this were often used as small canvases for artists to practice or showcase their work. If you like this style, look up watercolor to see how artists use thin layers of paint to create light and shadow.
