Wedding Fan

Wedding Fan is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe (Germany). Description supplied by the holding institution: Ludwig Hofmann (1861-1945) is considered one of the most important representatives of Symbolism and Art Nouveau. He was a pioneer of the Neues Weimar initiative, which is regarded as a precursor to the Weimar Bauhaus. In 1899, Ludwig Hofmann and Eleonora Kekulé von Stradonitz (1878-1968) married. The fan here is Hofmann's wedding gift to his wife. The fan has a frame of black Tahitian mother-of-pearl, consisting of 14 sticks and two guard sticks. The fan leaf has a smooth border. The painting is executed in gouache on gauze. It is predominantly in dark violet and dark blue tones. Details in dark red and orange provide contrast. Golden reflections of light create a special effect. The fan probably takes as its theme the bridesmaids escorting the bride. Depicted is a group of women, all draped in long, flowing robes. In the center, two women have taken a third into their midst and… The collection record gives measurements length: 24.0 cm, length: 16.5 cm. Published through Europeana; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.