Enfilade

T. Ballister (English publisher), Traveling Fan, 1788; paper, wood, bone or ivory, and metal; engraved with stippling; opaque watercolor (hand-coloring) and sticks and guards; rivet; 24.4 cm length, 41.9 cm width open (Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Gift of Mrs. S. Conning, 9206).

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The exhibition is presented as a complement to Casanova: The Seduction of Europe, on view at the Legion of Honor from February 10 until May 28.

Fans of the Eighteenth Century
de Young Museum, San Francisco, from 31 March 2018

Fans have served as accessories of fashion and utility since antiquity but reached their peak production and use in eighteenth-century Europe. Made from and embellished by precious materials such as ivory, mother-of-pearl, and silver and gold leaf, eighteenth-century fans also featured designs that reflected the spirit of their times. Fans addressed current events as well as themes of broad interest, including biblical and mythological tales and romanticized domestic and pastoral vignettes. Fans of the Eighteenth Century explores this quintessential period of fan production through a selection of examples from the permanent collection.