Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-29
The Fan Exhibition

From Harper's Bazaar.
The oldest fan in the exhibition Of the Society
Of Decorative Art, which dates probably from
the beginning of the seventeenth century, is a
fan only in seeming, and may be regarded not
only as curious in itself, but as a type Of the
Italian Renaissance. It's smooth ivory case, in
shape like any closed fan, is covered with deli
cate tracery, quaint masks. and fanciful ara
besques: but upon removing the small end q
jerk of the hand brings leaping from it's con-
cealment in this innocentIooking sheath very
bushes dagger for the defense of its wearer
watt OF air takes US over gap of hundred
years and lands US in the palmy days Of old-fash-
Toned diplomacy. for it was made In Spain to
commemorate the signing Of the treaty of
Utrecht, which took place April II, 1713,
after long conferences between the represent
atives Of France, England, Holland, Prussia,
Portugal, and Savoy, and which. being supple
mented by the peace of Rastadt in TIA, and
other subsequent treaties, ended the war of the
Spanish succession by placing Philip v, grand
son of Louis XIV, on the throne Of Spain. On
the leaf may be seen happy family of prefer
naturally peaceful mOuarchs, and the sticks
which overlap each other, and are deliberately
painted and carved, are good specimens Of
Louis XIV. work; another fan, whose sticks
are wrought into rather heavy medallions while
the leaf has little sheets of mica introduced into
1t to serve as windows for curious or cOQuettish
eyes. 1t will benoticed that there is no attempt
to connect the different subjects by the orna-
mentati0n, which merely divides and frames
them. The next important modification in the
style and decoration of fans is due to one Mar
tin. born about 1766, who was q varnisher Of
coach and chair panels, and some say also
painter Of the heraldlc ornaments and flower
borders which adorned them. After many
experiments he succeeded In making
fine transparent polish, resembling Japanese
its secret from the missionaries who lived in
Japan before the great massacres which closed
that country to all except the Dutch traders
From panels, the varnish, named after him
''vernis Martin, !" was soon appliedto fans, which
were first exquisitely painted in water colors
on slender strips of ivory held together by a
narrow ribbon run through the top. The
lover OF fans must pause in delight over one of
the finest and purest specimens of the style Of
Louis XVI, to be found in the collection. The
sticks are of mother-of-pearl inlaid with gold,
and the medallion only survives in q subject
carved in the center. and separated by their
spreading. On the Leaf, which Is of kid, is
painted . woodland scene in which warrior
woos nymph, while sympathetic Cupfds sport
arouni them. This subject. is laid carelessly
upon the leaf. without the formal balancing and
bordering of the earlier day. and the rest of the
space is filled by wreaths of flowers, and oval
nedaliiOns hanging from knotted ribbons. in
which groups Of Cupids recall the idea Of the
central scene.
Later in the reign Of Louis XVI fans became
much simpler In character and decoration, as
the influence Of the coming pseudo classical
period was felt, and there are couple of curl
GUS examples in the collection in which the leaf
Is adorned with noble Romans in t0gas, while
the sticks are carved after the earlier aud more
elaborate manner which was all that the work.
man knew.
The aim Of the Society Of Decorative Art in
bringing together this loan collection has been
to show different kinds Of decoration and
mounting, and thus awaken an interest In this
particular branch of art for wherever women
are fans will be, and their decoration is an art
industry for which women are eminently fitted
It is also hoped that our artists may be more
willing in future to work in field which is not
unworthy Of their talent, for the leaf Of fan,
owing to its shape, Offers certain difficulties
which are worth conquering, and az the arts are
sisters. the fan may be said to be to the painter
what the sonnet Is to the poet.