Fan — The Finding of Moses, France, Netherlands, ca. 1700-1725
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1700-1725
Fan in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number T.75-1956), made in France, Netherlands, dated ca. 1700-1725. The museum's brief description reads: Brise fan depicting the Finding of the baby Moses, French or Dutch, about 1700-25.
Museum description: Brise ivory fan. The main painted scene shows the finding of the baby Moses in the river by Pharaoh's daughter, with ladies in attendance, set in landscape. The gorge has a vignette with a scene probably depicting King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, surrounded by chinoiserie vessels. The reverse shows a classical landscape with temple and a couple hunting deer. Guards of ivory inlaid with mother-of-pearl, with chinoiserie motifs.
White paste studs on the rivet. The sticks are joined at the tips by a ribbon covered with strips of painted paper. The museum records it as Watercolour, gilt and varnish on ivory sticks, and ivory guards inlaid with mother-of-pearl, measuring Height 220 mm; Width 390 mm; Depth 15 mm. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
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.
Historical context
Brisé fans were popular through the late 17th century and early 18th. They had no fan leaf. They were made of sticks held together with a silk cord or ribbon. Some brisé fans accentuated the elaborate carving of the sticks. Others, like this example, were as pictorial as those made with a painted fan leaf. The fan painter has illustrated this fan with The Finding of Moses, using rich colours and composition associated with the Baroque style. Painting on brisé fans was more difficult than painting a fan leaf. The artist had to colour each individual stick carefully so that the whole composition connected properly when the fan was opened.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Watercolour, gilt and varnish on ivory sticks, and ivory guards inlaid with mother-of-pearl
- Dimensions
- Height 220 mm; Width 390 mm; Depth 15 mm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Watercolour, gilt and varnish on ivory sticks, and ivory guards inlaid with mother-of-pearl
- Place recorded
- France, Netherlands
Identification
- Museum object name
- Fan
- Museum object number
- T.75-1956
- Museum system number
- O87234
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.