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I've attempted to divide up the fans by type, but this page is still a work in progress. For additional information on the history of fans and their manufacture, see these links.
Now was ther of that chirche a parissh clerk,
The which that was ycleped Absolon.
Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon,
And strouted as a fanne large and brode;
Ful streight and evene lay his joly shode
The Miller's Tale from
The Canterbury Tales, ll. 204-207 |
LATE MEDIEVAL SECULAR FANS
- Aspic (fol. 65v) and dreams (fol. 89v) Tacuinum Sanitatis (BNF Nouvelle acquisition latine 1673), c. 1390-1400
- Assembly, Tacuinum Sanitatis (BNF Latin 9333, fol. 99v), early 15th century
FEATHER FANS
- Portrait of a lady in white by Moretto da Brescia, c. 1540 (see detail)
- Portrait of a young woman, 1540s
- Portrait of Laura da Pola by Lorenzo Lotto, 1544 (also here and here)
- Handle from a feather fan, c. 1550; for details, go to V&A's Access to Images and search for Museum Number 105-1882
- Usati in Venetia 1550 (dress worn by the women of Venice in 1550), Habiti antichi et moderni di tutto il mondo, 1590
- Portrait of Pace Rivola Spini by Giovanni Battista Moroni, 1570
- Portrait of Elizabeth I, c. 1570-85
- The Darnley Portrait, c. 1575
- Nobilis Neapolitana in Jost Amman's Trachtenbuch von Nurnberg, 1577
- Portrait of Elizabeth I c. 1580
- Engraving of Elizabeth I by Jan Rutlinger, c. 1580-85
- The Welbeck or Wanstead Portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder, c. 1585
- Portrait of Elizabeth I, c. 1585-88
- Portrait of Elizabeth I attributed to John Bettes, c. 1585-90
By the Countesse of Bath, a fanne of swanne downe, with a maze of greene velvet, ymbrodered with seed pearles and a very small chayne of silver gilte, and in the middest a border on both sides of seed pearles, sparks of rubyes and emerods, and thereon a monster of gold, the head and breast mother-of-pearles.
By a Gentleman unknown, a fanne of sundry cullored fethers, with a handle of aggets garnished with silver gilte.
From the New Year's Gifts to Queen Elizabeth, 1588-9 |
- The Armada Portrait, c. 1588
- Another version of the Armada Portrait attributed to George Gower, c. 1588
- Portrait of Elizabeth I, c. 1590
- Portrait of Elizabeth I, c. 1590-92
- Portrait of Elizabeth I, c. 1590-92
- Portrait of Elizabeth I, c. 1592
- Feather fans in the Album Amicorum of a German Soldier, 1595: Donzela Romana, Gentildona Ferarese, Sposa Venetiana, Gentildona Veneta, Another lady, and le Damoisele de Angleterre
I saw there three Ostriches ... The feathers of their wings and tailes, but especially of their tailes are very soft and fine. In respect whereof they are much used in the fannes of Gentlewomen.
Thomas Coryat, Coryat's Crudities
(Observations of Fontainebleau), 1611 |
- Portrait of Queen Anne by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, c. 1605-10
- Portrait of Pocohontas, 1616
Here will I mention a thing, that although perhaps it will seeme but frivolous to divers readers that have already travelled in Italy; yet because unto many that neither have beene there, nor ever intend to go thither while they live, it will be a meere novelty, I will not let it passe unmentioned. The first Italian fannes that I saw in Italy did I observe in this space betwixt Pizighiton and Cremona. But afterward I observed them common in most places of Italy where I travelled. These fannes both men and women of the country doe carry to coole themselves withall in the time of heate, by the often fanning of their faces. Most of them are very elegant and pretty things. For whereas the fanne consisteth of a painted peece of paper and a little wooden handle; the paper which is fastened into the top is on both sides most curiously adorned with excellent pictures, either of amorous things tending to dalliance, having some witty Italian verses or fine emblemes written under them; or of some notable Italian city with a briefe description thereof added thereunto. These fannes are of a meane price. For a man may buy one of the fairest of them for so much money as countervaileth our English groate.
Thomas Coryat, Coryat's Crudities
(Observations of Cremona), 1611 |
FLAG FANS
FOLDING FANS (including brisé fans)
- Fan, Italy or France, 16th century
- Portrait of a woman with a fan by Giovanni Batista Moroni, 1570s
- The Ditchley Portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, c. 1592
- Portrait of Mary Rogers, Lady Harrington by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, 1592
- Portrait of Lady Eleanor Herbert, 1595
- Folding fans in the Album Amicorum of a German Soldier, 1595: La consorte del Castelan di Roma, Gentildona Romana, Gentildona fiorentina, and Marchese Napolitana
- Portrait of a woman (thought to be Mary Fitton), c. 1595-1600
- Portrait of Doña Leonor Gonzaga, late 16th century
- Portrait of Mary, Countess of Dorset
- Portrait of the Princess Royal, 1603
- Portrait of Lady Diana Cecil by William Larkin, c. 1614-18
- Portrait of an unknown Spanish princess by Alonso Sanchez Coello, c. 1615
- A brisé fan made in Florence in the 1620s (V&A T.184-1982)
STRAW FANS
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