Brisé fan, with representations of pastoral scenes flanking Venus and Cupid

mid-late 18th century

Not on view

This brisé fan- composed purely of individual ivory sticks, without a solid parchment, paper or fabric leaf- is a very fine example of Chinese carving. Particularly sought after in Europe, beautifully worked ivory mounts like these were sent from China with blank medallions, which could be customized with painted vignettes once they arrived in Europe.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Brisé fan, with representations of pastoral scenes flanking Venus and Cupid
Date: mid-late 18th century
Culture: Chinese, for British market
Medium: Pierced, carved, painted, and gilded ivory; mother-of-pearl; leather ribbon
Dimensions: confirmed: 8 1/4 × 15 1/2 × 1 1/4 in. (21 × 39.4 × 3.2 cm)
Classification: Fans
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, 1965
Object Number: 65.80.11
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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