Illustrated folding fan

French folding fan, made of printed and hand painted paper with rosewood spines and scene. This shows a group of ladies and gentlemen with servants observing the Great Comet of 1811 along with Venus represented as a seated lady with comet-like headdress. The satirical scene is labelled, 'Folie du jour. Venus, ou la pretendue Comete' (Today's madness: Venus or the Pretend Comet).