Artwork
Eventail de mariage de la Maréchale Pélissier
Eventail de mariage de la Maréchale Pélissier is an unspecified work on paper by the Biedermeier artist Félix Pierre Victor Alexandre. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1858 by Félix Pierre Victor Alexandre, the work titled *Eventail de mariage de la Maréchale Pélissier* is a decorative fan now conserved in the Museum of Ethnography. The piece presents a delicate composition on a light background, highlighted by gilded detailing that frames a central motif and surrounding ornamental elements.
Subject & Meaning
The fan’s surface is populated with a stylised botanical scheme: interlacing leaves and blossoms intertwine with avian figures and assorted decorative motifs. At its core, a rendered building anchors the design, suggesting a symbolic reference to domestic or ceremonial architecture associated with marital celebrations.
Technique & Style
Executed with fine brushwork, the artist employed a white ground to amplify the contrast of gold leaf and pigment. The intricate rendering of flora, fauna and architectural forms reflects a neoclassical taste for elegance, while the precise line work and balanced composition reveal a high level of craftsmanship typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century decorative arts.
History & Provenance
Commissioned as a wedding fan for the Maréchale Pélissier, the object remained within private collections before entering the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings. Its preservation offers insight into the material culture of French aristocratic nuptial customs during the Second Empire.
Artist & collection
Artist
This artist painted delicate watercolor fans in the 1850s, blending fashion with fine art.
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
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