Artwork
Eventail brisé
Eventail brisé is an unspecified work on paper by the Impressionist artist Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris. The object is a hand‑operated fan composed of twenty‑four painted panels that unfold in a wide fan shape.
About this work
Overview
Each panel presents a miniature vignette, predominantly featuring women dressed in elaborate attire, some holding blossoms or musical instruments.
The object is a hand‑operated fan composed of twenty‑four painted panels that unfold in a wide fan shape. Each panel presents a miniature vignette, predominantly featuring women dressed in elaborate attire, some holding blossoms or musical instruments. The overall palette is muted, with browns, greens and reds that have faded over time, and the fan’s edges are adorned with delicate swirls and tiny floral motifs.
Subject & Meaning
The individual scenes appear to depict aspects of genteel domestic life or narrative episodes, emphasizing feminine elegance and leisure activities such as music and flower‑handling. While the precise narrative is not documented, the recurring motifs suggest an interest in portraying refined social customs and possibly allegorical or literary references familiar to the fan’s original audience.
Technique & Style
The panels are executed in watercolor, a medium that allows for thin, translucent layers of pigment. The brushwork is fine, enabling the rendering of intricate costume details and subtle facial expressions despite the small scale. The decorative border employs a stylized scrollwork pattern, typical of ornamental fan design in the period, and the wooden handle is carved with a restrained, functional motif.
History & Provenance
The fan shows signs of age, including chipped paint and a softened color palette, indicating extensive use or long‑term storage. Its provenance is not recorded in the supplied information, but the materials and decorative style align with portable fans produced for personal use in East Asian or European courtly contexts during the 18th to 19th centuries.
Artist & collection
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
Continue through works from the same source collection.
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
