THE MET
Ivory Folding Fan with Gold Blue Paper
Empire / Regency · 1800s-1810s · French
Production
artisan-craft
Material
ivory with paper and metal leaf
Culture
French
Movement
Neoclassicism
Influences
neoclassical decorative arts · Chinese folding fan structure
This Empire period folding fan features an intricately carved ivory handle with delicate openwork patterns. The paper leaf displays a sophisticated design with alternating panels of deep blue and lighter sections, embellished with gold metal leaf detailing. The fan's upper edge shows elaborate decorative motifs including what appears to be figurative scenes or classical imagery rendered in gold against the darker ground. The carved ivory guards display fine geometric and possibly floral patterns typical of early 19th century French craftsmanship. The overall composition demonstrates the neoclassical aesthetic popular during the Empire period, with its balanced proportions and refined decorative elements combining Eastern fan-making traditions with European artistic sensibilities.
headband/head covering/hair accessory
Connected To
Movement·NeoclassicismTechnique·hand-embroidery
SHAREDsame era · cross-culture · cross-category
This fan and gown speak the same neoclassical language, both translating ancient Greek ideals into delicate, gossamer forms around 1810. The fan's painted medallions echo the classical figures that would have adorned the wearer of this high-waisted muslin gown, while both pieces share that Empire period obsession with weightless materials—paper-thin ivory sticks and diaphanous silk that barely register on the body.
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