The Romantic French writer, Theophile Gautier, wrote in Tra Los Montes of the importance of the fan in Spain: “A women without a fan is a thing I have never yet seen in that favored land; ……their fans, which follow them everywhere, even to church…..” In Spain, there was a fan for every occasion, in the home, the street, the bull-fight, the theatre or the church.
Before 1802, Spain imported many of fans from France. The French made a special point of producing fans to the Spanish, the colors very rich and bright, the pleats few and very wide, the sticks spaced apart, when the fan was opened almost 180 degrees and the weight heavy, like figure 9. Most of sticks are either entirely of ivory or of mother-of-pearl with carved figures, flowers etc.
Figure 9, Spanish or French-made for the Spanish market, c.1760. A fine fan, the leaf is painted with a lady drinking chocolate. The ivory Battoire sticks are carved and gilt with the arms of Spain.
Two fans were developed at court, domino fan and mask fan. The fans were as special aids for young ladies want to attract men. The domino fan was perfectly ordinary, often painted to look like velvet or patterned lace. Two small sections were cut out for the eyes so that the fan might be used as a mask. The mask fan was another perfectly simple folding fan but painted across the whole of the front of a fan, the two eyes and mouth cut out. Then a lady would hold it up to her own face and it would be very difficult to tell who she was. This was a Spanish mask fan in 18th century.
Figure 10, An important mask fan of about 1760, the leaf painted in the form of a clown’s face with the eyes and mouth cut out. The shaped vignettes at the sides depict elegant couples dining and dancing.
Before 1802, Spain imported many of fans from France. The French made a special point of producing fans to the Spanish, the colors very rich and bright, the pleats few and very wide, the sticks spaced apart, when the fan was opened almost 180 degrees and the weight heavy, like figure 9. Most of sticks are either entirely of ivory or of mother-of-pearl with carved figures, flowers etc.
Figure 9, Spanish or French-made for the Spanish market, c.1760. A fine fan, the leaf is painted with a lady drinking chocolate. The ivory Battoire sticks are carved and gilt with the arms of Spain.
Two fans were developed at court, domino fan and mask fan. The fans were as special aids for young ladies want to attract men. The domino fan was perfectly ordinary, often painted to look like velvet or patterned lace. Two small sections were cut out for the eyes so that the fan might be used as a mask. The mask fan was another perfectly simple folding fan but painted across the whole of the front of a fan, the two eyes and mouth cut out. Then a lady would hold it up to her own face and it would be very difficult to tell who she was. This was a Spanish mask fan in 18th century.
Figure 10, An important mask fan of about 1760, the leaf painted in the form of a clown’s face with the eyes and mouth cut out. The shaped vignettes at the sides depict elegant couples dining and dancing.
No comments:
Post a Comment