Fan

Unknown

1860–70 · ivory, paper, gouache, mother-of-pearl, metal · Costume Institute

The imagery is very expressive of the romantic fantasy and erotic undertones that is inherent in fan leaves of the Victorian era. On the obverse are groups of women in Western fashion, in well to do and structured surroundings, exchanging love messages from suitors presumably far away. On the reverse is a romanticized Indian or European maiden wearing filmy garments with an American Indian in unchaperoned surroundings, the setting and the tepees in the background representing a much simpler and less restrictive life; fans were used for flirting and it seems that the scene on the reverse would be a possible message to a suitor

Artist

Unknown

Date

1860–70

Medium

ivory, paper, gouache, mother-of-pearl, metal

Culture

probably French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Samuel Israel, 1941