Chinese decorated folding fan
Record status
Individual type · partial
This Chinese folding fan is a large, ornamental piece featuring an extensive folding structure. When fully extended, the fan displays a vibrant, detailed scene painted on a gold-toned ground.
The imagery includes a central human figure adorned in traditional attire, surrounded by flowering plants, vines, and avian forms such as cranes soaring across the upper portion of the leaf. The decorative scheme is executed with fluid lines and distinct color palettes, characteristic of traditional Chinese artistic expression. The support structure of the fan consists of numerous dark-toned, slender ribs that radiate from a central pivot point, providing a stark visual contrast to the bright, metallic appearance of the leaf.
The fan is designed for decorative display, and its significant size suggests a substantial presence when opened or closed. The total length of the object when closed measures 29 1/2 inches, or approximately 74.9 centimeters, making it an imposing example of this traditional accessory type.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Length closed
- 29 1/2 in. (74.9 cm.)
Design
- Obverse
- Central human figure, birds (cranes), flowers, vines, and foliage on a gold background
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.