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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.

Details

  • Title: The Finding of Moses
  • Creator: Unknown
  • Date Created: 1695/1725
  • Location: France
  • Physical Dimensions: Height: 220 mm through the centre when open, Width: 390 mm widest point when open, Depth: 15 mm deepest point when open
  • Provenance: Given by Admiral Sir Robert and Lady Prendergast
  • Medium: Watercolour, gilt and varnish on ivory sticks, and ivory guards inlaid with mother-of-pearl

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