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Pleated Fan, 18th century (CH 18391123)
Summary
Pleated fan. Parchment leaf painted in gouache. Obverse: a classical Roman scene set in the Roman forum. In the foreground, a man (Marcus) points out a maiden (Virginia), accompanied by her nurse, to three judges (Appius and his colleagues). An agitated figure in shadow possibly represents her father hastening to her. Reverse: floral border around classical landscape with a pointing man and seated woman. Mother-of-pearl sticks, carved and pierced with garlands, and urns overlaid with gold and silver foil. Guards with design of two amorini youth, a youth with lyre and garlands. Rivet is set with a faceted green translucent stone.
A handheld fan, or simply a hand fan, is any broad, flat surface that is waved back and forth to create an airflow. Generally, purpose-made handheld fans are folding fans, which are shaped like a sector of a circle and made of a thin material (such as paper or feathers) mounted on slats that revolve around a pivot so that it can be closed when not in use. Hand fans were used before mechanical fans were invented. Handheld fans have been used for thousands of years, with the earliest known examples dating back to ancient Egypt and China. These early fans were made from a variety of materials, including feathers, parchment, and palm leaves, and were used for both practical and ceremonial purposes. In ancient Rome, fans were also used for both cooling and as a decorative accessories. The first handheld fans as we know them today, made from paper or other lightweight materials and mounted on sticks, were probably invented in Japan or China during the 9th or 10th century. These fans gradually spread to other parts of the world and became popular in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries.
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