Fan

During the 17th and 18th century many fans were produced in China for the European market. This influx of new designs was digested and transformed by European artists. The intricately carved and pierced sticks on this fan depict figures in European dress. The fan leaf, painted in watercolour, is probably a European copy of a Chinese design and shows Chinese figures in a landscape setting. One of the women depicted is holding a folded paper fan decorated with pink flowers echoing the simple floral design that is painted on the reverse of this fan.