Historic Rococo fan with pastoral scenes, c. 1770
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
probably circa 1770
This historic Rococo-era folding fan, dating to approximately 1770, features intricate craftsmanship with ivory ribs adorned with floral garlands, delicate openwork patterns, and rocailles, some of which are colored and gilded.
The fan's spine includes mother-of-pearl inlay. The silk leaf is hand-painted in gouache with three central cartouches depicting pastoral scenes "à la bergère." The central rectangular cartouche shows a couple in an idealized landscape, with the lady in a robe à la Polonaise and the gentleman holding a shepherd's crook. Two oval flanking cartouches depict children in gallant poses. The design is further enhanced by sewn-on bronze, silver, and gold-colored sequins and a gold-colored metal trim along the top edge.
Measuring 27 cm in length and 50.5 cm in width when fully opened, the fan weighs 68 g. The reverse features a preliminary sketch of the front, punctuated by three painted flowering branches at the cartouche positions. The object reflects 18th-century decorative motifs, including shepherd and love symbolism.
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
- Weight
- 68 g
- Materials
- ivory, silk, metal, mother-of-pearl, bronze, silver, gold
- Dimensions
- length 27.0 cm, width 50.5 cm
Design
- Obverse
- three cartouches with pastoral scenes, floral garlands, rocailles, sequins
- Reverse
- preliminary sketch with flowering branches
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.