French Ivory Folding Fan with Watercolor Painting

Rococo · 1770s · French

This French Rococo folding fan features a painted paper leaf mounted on ivory ribs with delicate watercolor decoration. The fan displays pastoral scenes with figures in 18th-century dress arranged across multiple cartouches or vignettes separated by ornamental borders. The painting technique shows the characteristic soft palette and romantic subject matter typical of Rococo decorative arts. The ivory sticks are carved with openwork patterns, and silk tassels hang from the pivot point. The fan's construction demonstrates the refined craftsmanship of French luxury accessories during the reign of Louis XV, when fans were essential elements of aristocratic feminine dress and social etiquette.