This decorative wall-mounted composition features an elaborately ornamented folding fan displayed within a shaped giltwood frame carved in a Rococo Revival style with scrolling foliate ornament and shell motifs. The fan is mounted against a dark green velvet ground that highlights the delicacy of the painted leaf and the intricate detailing of the sticks.
The fan is fully opened to reveal finely pierced and engraved sticks decorated with silvered and gilded ornament, including floral motifs, scrollwork, and medallion-like reserves. A decorative rivet with a small blue cabochon secures the sticks at the pivot, from which a silk tassel is suspended. The leaf is formed of pleated paper richly embellished with hand-painted and gilded decoration.
Across the upper portion of the leaf is a pastoral Rococo-style scene depicting three elegantly dressed women and a child in a landscaped setting. The figures, dressed in flowing eighteenth-century inspired garments, gather around a seated woman holding a book or sheet, suggesting a moment of genteel leisure. The surrounding landscape includes trees, distant hills, and a small architectural structure, while gilded scrollwork and floral accents decorate the margins. Mounted within its ornate frame, the fan is presented as a decorative artwork that combines refined painting, intricate ornamentation, and elaborate framing.
Dimensions
Height: 14 inches – 36cm
Width: 23.5 inches – 60cm
Depth: 2 inches – 5cm
