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Introduction

Beauty in Hand

The Art of the Fan
June 1 - August 18, 1990

Used as simple tools, the first fans provided a cooling breeze, stirred up fires, or winnowed grains. These fans, probably made of leaves or plaited grasses, were in use throughout Asia, Southeast Asia, Egypt, and Ancient Greece and Rome. The nineteenth century Chinese example of a plaited palm-leaf fan in this gallery is descended from these early fans, as shown by its resemblance to the fan held by the Greek tanagra figure, also in this gallery.

Eventually the fan's decorative possibilities were discovered, and in this more elegant form it became associated with people of rank and status. Intricate fans decorated with feather mosaics were used for ceremonial purposes by the ruling Aztecs and Incas of Central and South America, while in China and Japan rigid and folding fans, painted by leading artists, became objects of connoisseurship. Rulers in India preferred the peacock-feather fan whose "thousand eyes" symbolized constant vigilance over the kingdom.

At the end of the fifteenth century, Europe was introduced to South American and Asian fans as a result of the discoveries of Columbus and the opening of the East to the China trade. The fan's great beauty and luxury made it a much sought-after status symbol. Feather fans and, later, folding fans were seen in the hands of many of Europe' s monarchs and aristocracy. The fan became a noticeable favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, who appreciated the fact that it helped to accentuate the beauty of her hands, of which she was very proud. She is often portrayed holding a white ostrich-feather fan; a descendant of the first feather fans brought back by Columbus, it also acted as a symbol of England's growth as a sea power.

At the same time feather fans were introduced into Europe by Columbus, the first Asian folding fans entered Italy via the ships of the early Portuguese traders with the East, who enjoyed Papal trade concessions. The folding fans of the East quickly became popular throughout Italy and soon spread through the rest of Europe, reaching England by the beginning of the sixteenth century. By this time the fan had become a treasured fashion accessory used by the aristocracy throughout Europe.

Selected Objects

RISDM 44-621 v_01.jpg

European

Brisé fan, 1880-1900
Z0012602.jpg

French

Fan, ca. 1860
Z0013008.jpg

Late Coastal culture Peruvian

fan, 1000-1500 CE
Z0012633.jpg

French

Fan box, ca. 1871
Z0012659.jpg

Edmund Soper Hunt, designer

Fan, ca. 1868
Z0012685.jpg

Japanese

Fan, ca. 1896
No Image Available

French

Fan, ca. 1860
Z0051848.jpg

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen

Chemins de fer de l'Ouest, 1900
Z0023727.jpg

American

Brisé fan, ca. 1880
Z0012682.jpg

John W. Green

Fan, 1892
RISDM 1989-055-2.jpg

Stefano Della Bella, designer

An Oval Fan Containing an Italian Rebus on the Subject of Fortune, 1600s
Z0012599.jpg

Unknown artist

Fan, 1855-1905
Z0003357.jpg

French

Fan, early 1700s
Z0012560.jpg

Faucon, manufacturer

Brisé fan, ca. 1900
Z0029268.jpg

Katsushika Taito II

Landscape, 1840s
Z0012535.jpg

Hintzman & Co., manufacturer

fan, ca. 1880
Z0012667.jpg

Chinese

fan box, early 1800s
RISDM 31-326 v_01.jpg

German

Folding fan, 1750-1799
Z0012693.jpg

French

Fan, ca. 1860
Z0029813.jpg

Attributed to Zhang Xuan

Woman on a Horse, 1800s
Z0012701.jpg

French

Brisé fan, ca. 1840
Z0012632.jpg

French

Folding fan, ca. 1871
Z0012565.jpg

John W. Green

folding fan, 1892
Z0012646.jpg

Dutch

Folding fan, 1750-1799
RISDM 1989-055-1.jpg

Stefano Della Bella, designer

An Oval Fan Containing an Italian Rebus on the Subject of Love, 1600s
Z0012729.jpg

French

Folding fan, ca. 1810
Z0012740.jpg

French

folding fan, ca. 1905
No Image Available

Gilbert Associates, manufacturer

fan, 1988
Z0012736.jpg

English French

Folding fan, ca. 1805-1810
Z0012603.jpg

French

Folding fan, ca. 1770
Z0012650.jpg

French

Fan, ca. 1900
No Image Available

French

Fan Design, ca. 1800
Z0029890.jpg

Attributed to Tang Di

Landscape with Two Pines, 1300s
Z0038714.jpg

After Alfred-Émile-Léopold-Joseph-Victor Stevens

Mother and Child in an Interior, 1800s
Z0012551.jpg

American

brisé fan, ca. 1920
Z0012710.jpg

European

Brisé fan, ca. 1810
Z0012572.jpg

Martha Weatherbee

folding fan, ca. 1900
Z0000096.jpg

Jacques Villon

folding fan, 1904
Z0012712.jpg

French

Brisé fan, ca. 1800
Z0035210.jpg

Austrian

Portrait of Marie Antoinette, late 1700s
Z0023728.jpg

French

Brisé fan, early 1900s
No Image Available

French

Vues d' Auvergne (fan design), late 1700s
Z0012555.jpg

Chinese

fan, mid 1800s
22-209.jpg

Greek

statue; sculpture, 300-250 BCE
RISDM 27-189 v_01.jpg

Chinese

Folding fan, mid 1800s
Z0012518.jpg

American Shaker

fan, 1800s
RISDM 56-203-27 v_01.jpg

George Keiswetter

Brisé fan, ca. 1890
No Image Available

European

Brisé fan, ca. 1880
Z0012686.jpg

European

Brisé fan, ca. 1866
Z0012721.jpg

English

Fan, 1790-1800
Z0012734.jpg

European

Folding Fan, ca. 1860
RISDM 1990-025 v_01.jpg

Japanese

Folding fan, ca. 1876
Z0012638.jpg

French

Fan, ca. 1780
Z0012625.jpg

French

Folding fan, ca. 1780
Z0012694.jpg

French

Folding fan, ca. 1860
Z0012687.jpg

French

Brisé fan, 1830-1840
Z0012677.jpg

English French

Fan, ca. 1900
Z0012537.jpg

S. Lévy, manufacturer

Fan, ca. 1898
Z0012631.jpg

American

Folding fan and box, ca. 1871
No Image Available

French

folding fan; fan box, ca. 1905
Z0020430.jpg

Utagawa Hiroshige

Sparrow and Bamboo (Take ni suzume), 1840's
Z0012534.jpg

London Ptg. & Litho. Co., manufacturer

fan, ca. 1880
No Image Available

Unknown artist

folding fan; fan box, 1800-1825
Z0012666.jpg

Chinese

folding fan, early 1800s
Z0038215.jpg

Joseph Paelinck

Frederica Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, 1817
RISDM 66-016-24B v_02.jpg

S. Lévy, manufacturer

Nosegay fan, ca. 1898
No Image Available

Thomas Wilson Dorr

fan, ca. 1845
Z0011720.jpg

Thomas Wilson Dorr

fan, ca. 1845

More objects +

Exhibition Checklist

Beauty in Hand : The Art of the Fan

June 1 - August 18, 1990
View Checklist PDF

RISD Museum

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