Lorgnette Fan with Love's Arrows motif
Between the ivory sticks of this fan, the opaque white gauze leaf is decorated with arrow-shaped silver spangles- a device of the period popularly called "Love's Arrows". The arrow shaft motif is picked up by the shape of the sticks and guards, which are decorated with glinting mica. The circular peepholes allow for a magnifying glass to be set in the guard- making this a lorgnette, or "quizzing", fan. A similar fan of American manufacture is also at The Met (Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Edna E. de Frise, 1960).
Artwork Details
- Title: Lorgnette Fan with Love's Arrows motif
- Date: ca. 1790
- Culture: French
- Medium: Ivory, mica
- Dimensions: L. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)
- Classification: Fans
- Credit Line: Bequest of Mrs. Maria P. James, 1911
- Object Number: 11.60.187
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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After a composition by Alessandro Algardi (Italian, Bologna 1598–1654 Rome)
probably mid-17th century
Attributed to the Master of the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian (Austrian)
probably mid-17th century
Johann Valentin Gevers (German, ca. 1662–1732)
ca. 1710
Attributed to Herman Doomer (Dutch, Anrath ca. 1595–1650 Amsterdam)
ca. 1640–50
Clockmaker: Thomas Tompion (British, 1639–1713)
ca. 1677–80
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