Folding fan: M.286-1985

Current Location: Gallery 34 (Fan Gallery)

Maker(s)

Entities

Folding fan

Description

Folding fan, double paper leaf, painted in bodycolour and gilt. Sticks and guards of pierced, carved and painted ivory, the latter backed with red foil (20+2). Rivet of brass; washer of mother-of-pearl. Front: In the foreground a harbour scene with people working and a fort on an island in the background. There are some rowing boats on the bank of the island and men-of-war. Top, left and right borders are of red and gold scrolls and flowers. The top edge is of a white paper ribbon. Back: a little island with a ball on a pedestal and a tree on a hill in the centre, flanked by water plants. A lilac line with blue and pink flowers and scrolls borders the leaf. Sticks: finely carved flowers are decorated with intertwining floral ribbons. Reverse decorated with intertwining ribbons in blue-red-green. Guards: two floral ribbons, one above the other, wind their way through flowers. The guard proper of the front guard is backed with pink and puce foil, the back guard with puce foil. The lower part is carved with a balaster and an hourglass shape.

Notes

History note: Colonel Leonard C. Messel (1872-1953); his daughter Anne, Countess of Rosse (1902-1992)

Legal notes

Purchased with a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and a gift from The Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bought (1985-01-28) by Countess of Rosse, Anne

Dating

18th Century, third quarter#
Production date: circa AD 1765

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Guards composed of foil ( puce, red) Length 25.6 cm
Leaf composed of paper bodycolour gilt
Washer composed of mother-of-pearl
Sticks+guards composed of ivory
Rivet composed of brass (alloy)