Artwork
Eventail plié Les lilas
Eventail plié Les lilas is an unspecified work on paper by Duvelleroy. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
The object is a folding hand‑fan produced by the French firm Duvelleroy around 1890. It is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography and exemplifies the decorative accessories that were popular in the late nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
When opened, the fan displays a painted tableau of lilac blossoms rendered in muted purples, whites and greys. The translucent petals and scattered leaves create a delicate, almost ethereal garden motif, reflecting the period’s fascination with nature as a source of refined ornamentation.
Technique & Style
The surface is treated with a watercolor‑like application that builds thin, layered washes, giving the flowers a light, floating quality. The fan’s ribs remain visible between the painted panels, and the metal handle is carved with a modest decorative pattern, integrating craft and pictorial art.
History & Provenance
Manufactured by Duvelleroy, a leading Parisian maker of luxury fans, the piece dates to the circa 1890 era when such objects served both functional and aesthetic purposes. It entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings through acquisition, where it is displayed as an example of portable decorative art from the Belle Époque.
Artist & collection
Artist
This fan-maker filled Paris boulevards with folding screens of silk and paint. You’ll find their hand in works like Eventail plié Les lilas, where watercolor lilacs shiver on ivory sticks, and another piece signed 1878.…
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
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