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Fan
1780s
Object Place: France or Netherlands
Medium/Technique
Skin leaf painted in gouache and gilded; pierced, carved, and gilded ivory sticks; mother-of-pearl
Dimensions
Guard: 26.5 cm (10 7/16 in.); maximum open: 51 cm (20 1/16 in.); arc: 170°
Credit Line
Oldham Collection
Accession Number1976.302
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsFashion and Textiles
ClassificationsCostumes
DescriptionSingle skin leaf. Obverse: five heavily painted Boucher-style overlapping medallions: three putti, seated man and woman, soldiers confronting women, peasants dancing, two cows (left to right); gilt decorative borders, decorative background. Reverse: two Chinese women with fans in pastoral chinoiserie setting between three classical medallions with holly borders. Narrow gilt band edging. Twenty-one carved and pierced ivory sticks. Classical cameo center blades, chinoiserie motifs to sides, decorated with gilt speckles to resemble piqué work; woman and gilt-silver foil backing on guards. Mother-of-pearl rings on rivet.
ProvenanceGift of Esther Oldham to the MFA, June 9, 1976.