Brisé fan, with representations of pastoral scenes flanking Venus and Cupid

Unknown

mid-late 18th century · Pierced, carved, painted, and gilded ivory; mother-of-pearl; leather ribbon · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

This brisé fan- composed purely of individual ivory sticks, without a solid parchment, paper or fabric leaf- is a very fine example of Chinese carving. Particularly sought after in Europe, beautifully worked ivory mounts like these were sent from China with blank medallions, which could be customized with painted vignettes once they arrived in Europe.

Artist

Unknown

Date

mid-late 18th century

Medium

Pierced, carved, painted, and gilded ivory; mother-of-pearl; leather ribbon

Culture

Chinese, for British market

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, 1965