Artwork
A Lady Holding a Fan
A Lady Holding a Fan is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Luca Carlevarijs. It dates from 1705 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Created in 1705, this oil on canvas portrays a solitary woman clutching a fan.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1705, this oil on canvas portrays a solitary woman clutching a fan. The figure is dressed in a flowing white gown edged with green, her dark hair gathered back beneath a modest white head covering. Set against a uniform brown backdrop, the composition emphasizes the subject’s graceful posture and the delicate handling of light.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents a quiet, intimate moment, focusing on the lady’s poised gesture as she turns her head slightly to the right. The fan, partially concealed, suggests both elegance and the social customs of feminine adornment in early‑18th‑century Venice, inviting contemplation of private versus public presence.
Technique & Style
Employing chiaroscuro, the artist models the folds of the dress and the contours of the figure with subtle contrasts of light and shadow, imparting a three‑dimensional quality. The overall tone reflects the Rococo’s preference for lightness, decorative detail, and a gentle, airy atmosphere.
History & Provenance
The painting is attributed to Luca Carlevarijs, an Italian painter and engraver active in Venice during the late 1600s and early 1700s. Known for pioneering the veduta genre, Carlevarijs produced this work before his later fame for cityscapes. It entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection, where it remains on display.
Context
Carlevarijs’s career unfolded at a time when Venetian art was shifting toward more decorative and intimate subjects, preceding the rise of later veduta masters such as Canaletto and Guardi. This portrait exemplifies the transitional aesthetic, combining Rococo elegance with the artist’s emerging interest in precise observation of form.
Artist & collection
Artist
Luca Carlevarijs or Carlevaris (20 January 1663 – 12 February 1730) was an Italian painter and engraver working mainly in Venice.
