French neoclassical ivory and vellum hand fan, 18th century

This exquisite 18th-century French Neoclassical hand fan is constructed with ivory sticks and a vellum leaf, secured by a red glass pivot. The vellum leaf is meticulously hand-painted with an elaborate mythological scene featuring Athena addressing a queen, set against a backdrop of a shipwreck, which may interpret a scene from the Odyssey.

This central narrative is complemented by painted cupids and decorative floral motifs. The tops of the ivory sticks are adorned with miniature details, including animals, landscapes, seascapes, and still-life compositions. The fan's guards feature intricate openwork relief carvings depicting a pastoral scene with a couple and Roman ruins. Measuring approximately 20.5 inches wide by 10.6 inches high, the fan is preserved within a custom frame.

This artifact reflects the high artistry of the 18th-century golden age of fan production, serving both as a functional fashion accessory and a canvas for sophisticated, fantastical imagery favored by the aristocracy in the period preceding the French Revolution.