History of the Fan

An extremely interesting example is decorated with three medallions, the centre representing a sleeping nymph with Cupids. This formerly belonged to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and was presented to Queen Alexandra when Princess of Wales by the Duke of Sutherland in remembrance of his mother.

The marriage relations of the Prince of Wales (afterwards George IV.) with Mrs. Fitzherbert formed the subject of an ivory fan, exquisitely cut in fretwork, with three painted cartouches by Richard Cosway, the centre representing the Prince and lady with Religion descending in a chariot pointing with pleading looks to a figure of Hymen, who hovers above; in the two other cartouches the pair are figured in the characters of Fidelity and Constancy. This fan was exhibited at South Kensington in 1870; it appeared at the Walker sale in 1882, when it was sold for eighteen guineas. In 1889 it was in the possession of Colonel de Lancey, and is now in the Hennin collection, Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

The fan in the Wyatt collection, elaborately pierced, painted, and gilt, has three medallions finely painted in the style of Cosway, with two small medallions of heads on the guards. The connecting ribbon is green, the general colour effect being extremely good. The fan opens out to a third of a circle, the length of the blades 10 inches. (Illustrated facing p. 182.)

The leaf-fan belonging to Mrs. Hungerford Pollen, of the taking of Malta, refers to the surrender of the island to the British by General Vaubois, the act being signed and concluded on the 5th September 1800. The subject is on a large cartouche, occupying three-fourths of the leaf, the background representing a streamer of lace.

During the period of the Napoleonic wars, a number of French prisoners were installed in England at Norman Cross near Peterborough, Porchester Castle, and Edinburgh Castle, and during their confinement introduced the process of straw marquetry, which had been practised on the Continent since the time of Henry III., and possibly earlier. Boxes, trays, decorative pictures, nick-nacks, and hand-screens were made. Towards the end of the eighteenth century straw plaiting became vastly fashionable, and straw was adopted for hats, ribbons, plumes, girdles, and tassels. The fan was not behindhand, but followed the prevailing taste.

Several of these objects appear in the Victoria and Albert Museum, amongst them being two hand-screens with plaited views.

The fashion lasted well into the nineteenth century, when an extensive manufacture was also carried on in India (Bengal) for exportation to Europe. This chiefly consisted of hand-screens of the pear-shaped gourd type, rush being the material employed.

OSTRICH FEATHER FOLDING-FAN
(From the portrait group by Van Loon at Amsterdam.)THE people of the Netherlands have been famous, from the Middle Ages onwards, for the splendour of their costumes. We have an account of Jane of Navarre, wife of Philippe le Bel, who, upon the occasion of a visit to Bruges in 1301, was so much struck by the pomp and magnificence displayed by the inhabitants, particularly the ladies, that she exclaimed, ‘What do I see! I thought I alone was Queen, but here I find them by whole hundreds.’

The fact that fans were largely used in the Low Countries during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries is evidenced by the frequency of their appearance in painted and engraved representation. In the ‘Omnium pene Europæ, Asiæ, Aphricæ, atque Americæ Gentium habitus,’ engraved by A. de Bruÿn, and published at Antwerp in 1581, nine years anterior to the earliest edition of Vecellio, the long-handled plumed fan appears in the hands of a Belgian lady; the shorter-handled tuft-fan is also carried by noble ladies of England and France. In the works of the great Flemish painters, Vandyck and Rubens, the rigid feather-fan constantly occurs.

In the engraving by ‘J. Côyens et C. Mortier,’ of the family of Frederick and Elizabeth, King and Queen of Bohemia, the young Princess Louysa holds a dark ostrich feather-fan with a mirror in the centre.

In the large portrait group by Van Loon at Amsterdam, of the family of Jan Miense Molenaer, a lady holds a folding-fan of white ostrich feathers, the wavy ivory sticks numbering five; in the same picture another lady holds a small rigid feather-fan composed of the feathers of one of the smaller birds.

In the engraved work by de Bruÿn above referred to, the large folding-fan appears constantly, though not in the hands of the Netherlandish ladies; the fashion of the fan was, however, substantially the same in most countries of Europe. Painted mounts appeared early, and were also large; the extremely interesting mount in the possession of the Dowager-Marchioness of Bristol being probably one of the earliest existing Dutch examples. The subject evidently refers to one of the Dutch settlements in the East Indies, probably the town of Batavia, built by the Dutch in the early years of the seventeenth century. Here is represented a quay, where merchandise (mostly fruits and fish) is being landed from boats, and on which buying and selling is taking place. In the background are buildings of a European character, with a volcanic range of mountains in the distance. A high-masted vessel is moored in the bay, and is partially seen behind the buildings. In the immediate foreground are two cannon-balls mounted on low pedestals. The long veils and other details of costume are similar to those worn by the Dutch during the first half of the century, seen in contemporary engravings; the remarkable peaked, plaited straw-hats are practically identical with those made by the natives of the Malay Archipelago. The leaf, which has been removed from the stick and stretched upon a frame, is painted in gouache or paper, probably a little later.

Of subject fans, historical or fanciful, that illustrated from the collection of Miss Moss (Antony and Cleopatra) is amongst the most charming in its quaint naïveté, and is almost certainly Dutch. The Queen is about to dissolve the pearl, which she exhibits to the astonished Antony and the serving-woman beside her. Cooks in the foreground prepare the dishes, while servitors carry them to the table. An old-fashioned chimney-corner is seen on the left, with fire-dogs and pot hanging. Music is provided by harpsichord, lute, and fiddle. The costume is of a nondescript character, Antony wearing an extraordinary plumed helmet, the Queen in ermined cloak, both having diadems. The mount, of skin, is particularly pleasant in colour quality, and probably belongs to the last years of the seventeenth century. The stick and guards of a later date. A still finer example, similar in the character of the painting, though of a somewhat later date, is the fan illustrated by gracious permission of H.R.H. Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, facing page 1; this was the gift of the Duke of Coburg to Princess Victoria (afterwards Queen) in 1836, from the collection of fans at Gotha. These two fan leaves, as also Lady Bristol’s, may be accepted as original productions, i.e. the work of artists possessing some inventive power, rather than, as in the case of so many fan leaves, mere transcripts of well-known pictures.

An extremely interesting type of mount has a large vignette, usually of two figures, occupying the centre, or the whole field of the fan. In these fans the sticks are of carved ivory, often strongly reminiscent of Chinese design, or having costume figures of the character with which we are familiar in early woodcuts. Two examples in the Wyatt collection represent pastoral groups, extremely good in style, the colour scheme being most effective.

In the treatment of the mount the Dutch invariably followed the practice of Italy and France. Many were painted in the Chinese taste, some in imitation of the finer fans of China. The sticks of these were usually of pierced ivory. An excellent example in the Wyatt collection shows in the centre compartment the garden of a Chinese house, with seated figures and visitors arriving. A panel on the right represents an astronomer making observations, and on the left is a fight between men in boats on a river. A capital effect is obtained in this fan by means of line work in gold, this being particularly effective over the blue water in the boat scene.

The fan illustrated facing page 198 is interesting from the cut-work of the mount, an imitation of the cut-work Italian fans of the seventeenth century; in this instance, the pattern is produced by means of stamping, done before the leaf is painted. The stick and guards are extremely effective, and are of ivory, pierced, carved, painted and gilt.

Flemish fans are often decorated with subjects from Scripture history; as Jacob and Rachel, Abraham entertaining the three Angels, scenes from the lives of Elijah, Ruth, and Boaz; these evidently for use at church. A fine example of the end of the seventeenth century appeared at the Walker sale in 1882, and passed into the Franks collection. This is a crowded composition of the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea; the stick of plain ivory, the guards carved with figures of Bellona.

The subject of Rinaldo in the Garden of Armida also occurs on a fan in the Wyatt collection, the mount chicken skin, the style and colouring that of the later Roman school of painting. The stick and guards of ivory, carved with scroll-work and figures, the date about 1700.

Embroidery was also employed. An unusual example, the method scarcely to be commended on account of the weight, is also in the Wyatt collection, with a naturalistic landscape and figures, the embroidered work covering the whole field of the fan, and consequently rendering it heavy both in appearance and actual weight. The stick and guards are tortoise-shell, pierced and embossed with gold, probably of a later date than the mount, which may be put at c. 1650.

The method of painting upon ivory, with a subsequent covering of varnish, if indeed it was not anticipated by the Dutch, was practised in Holland concurrently with the brothers Martin in France. It was an instance in which a new departure or fresh invention occurred simultaneously in several places, but whether the Dutch, Italians, or French were the first in the field with this method of decoration, it is certain that the varnish was perfected by Martin.

The ivory brisé fans of the Dutch were, like the French, small in size, and at the end of the seventeenth century, says Redgrave, were frequently imported into Paris and decorated in ‘Vernis Martin.’ In a most effective type of fan, the plain cream white of the ivory forms part of the decorative scheme; three medallions, one large and two small, of landscapes with figures in the foreground, form the sole decorations; the ivory background, the green connecting ribbon, and the prevailing blues and greens of the panels, constitute a most pleasant harmony. These fans usually open out to a little more than a quarter of a circle. An example appears in the Wyatt collection.

In another type, the plain ivory sticks are painted in the Chinese taste, the fans slightly larger than those previously referred to. In some, purely Chinese motifs are employed; in others, a semi-naturalistic arrangement of flowers and festoons is associated with the Martin type of decoration on the guards and lower semicircle of the fan.

In an extremely interesting fan in the Wyatt collection, this principle is carried further by the introduction of three medallions of single figures—a man with a cask of wine on his back, holding a lantern and goblet, and two female figures of flower- and fruit-sellers; the guards and lower semicircle in the Chinese taste, the blades connected by a green ribbon.

Perhaps the prettiest and most characteristic of the Dutch ivory fans are those in which the blades are cut in fine open work, and a border of from 1-1/2 to 2 inches, delicately painted with flowers, fruit, birds, and butterflies.

In some instances the principal portions of the decoration are of thin ivory applied and afterwards painted.

In these fans the connecting silk ribbon is usually white, and placed immediately below the painted border, instead of on the edge. This arrangement allows the ends of the blades to be rounded or otherwise ornamented.

Sandalwood is pierced and painted in a similar way to ivory, forget-me-nots being a favourite motif for the decoration, first on account of their suitability of sentiment—as love-gifts—and also by reason of the blue of the flower harmonising with the colour of the sandalwood. In some examples the background of this forget-me-not wreath or border is pierced, the connecting ribbon being also blue of a slightly different tint to the flowers.

The horn-fans are either pierced entirely in flat open work, or painting is employed as an additional enrichment, both sides of the fan being usually decorated with garlands in gouache. A pretty fan in the Wyatt collection has five heart-shaped garlands with the colour of the flowers alternately red and pink, the light-blue connecting ribbon forming a very effective contrast to the natural colour of the horn; indeed the connecting ribbon in each instance forms a decorative feature, the colours being of pink, blue, brown, or white, as the colour scheme demands. The horn is either of its natural colour, or stained to various hues, generally saffron.

There are also the small fans decorated with spangles, much in vogue both in Holland and elsewhere towards the close of the eighteenth century and later. The mounts are of white gauze or net, decorated with pierced and cut steel ornaments and spangles, embroidered with gold thread and braid, the stick and guards usually of stained horn inlaid with steel.

A charming example of the small spangled Dutch fan is of silk, with an inserted band of gauze ornamented with silver spangles and stamped silver ornaments, the stick and guards of horn with inserted spangles.

Dutch sticks often present qualities which are remarkable and unusual, the curious example owned by Mr. Messel being a case in point. This, by a device at once simple, ingenious, and effective, is made to resemble, when closed, a Chinese pagoda, and is probably an imitation of a Chinese original. The leaf is of small interest, being poorly painted in the Chinese taste; the costumes of the figures are, however, of applied straw of various colours.

The practice of carving the edges of the closed stick with figures, heads, or ornament, though not confined to the Dutch, was employed by them to perhaps a greater extent than in other countries. The curious example in the possession of Sir L. Alma-Tadema, showing a well-carved head at the handle, presents interest at either front, side, or back view of the closed fan. The leaf also of this fan, no less than the stick, presents points of exceptional interest, and represents two figures of a botanist and lady seated in a garden laid out with fountains, etc., a villa in the distance, and possibly refers to Linnæus, and either the villa of Harmanby, about a league from Upsala, which he used as a summer residence and converted into a little university, his pupils following him thither, or the Queen’s gardens at Ulriksdal, near Stockholm, arranged by the illustrious botanist.

The great traditional school of German design has never affected the fan, nor is it desirable that it should; though a plumed fan, or, for that matter, a folding one, designed by a Dürer would indeed be a precious possession.

German fans present no characteristics peculiar to the Teutonic race; the type is French, tinctured perhaps by a certain heaviness of effect, lacking the light, dainty touch of the French. A few, however, reach a high level of excellence, and compare favourably with the best French workmanship, notably an early example, illustrated, which appeared at the Exhibition at South Kensington in 1870, given to H.M. Queen Victoria by H.R.H. the Prince Consort, from the collection of fans at Gotha. In this the mount is vellum painted with a pastorelle, the stick of ivory, carved with a series of miniature figures under canopies, coloured, and gilt. The guards are extremely curious, being cylindrical in shape, the lower segment fluted, the shoulder carved with arabesques, and surmounted by small heads.

Another fine example (illustrated facing p. 4), from the collection of H.R.H. the Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, was also the gift of the Prince Consort to Queen Victoria, and is decorated with a series of medallions of dancing figures, etc.

A type of fan, apparently peculiar to Germany, common during the eighteenth century, has painted subjects cut out and laid on lace or net, a kind of painting appliqué, the effect extremely good. An example decorated with pastoral groups was exhibited at South Kensington by H.R.H. Madame la Comtesse de Paris; the stick ivory, carved à jour, with figures laid on gold-foil; the foliage, etc., coloured. This was bought in Dresden about 1860. A fan similar in character, the date about 1765, was exhibited at Karlsruhe in 1890.

‘If the fans of the eighteenth century,’ says Mr. H. F. Holt,130 ‘yielded in grace and elegance to those of the sixteenth, they certainly (upon occasion) exceeded them in richness and magnificence, the materials used being often costly Flanders lace, the handles splendidly ornamented and inlaid with jewels. As the climax, however, of costly magnificence,’ continues this writer, ‘I will conclude with a description of the fan of the Duchess of York, who, shortly after her arrival in England, displayed a pleated fan entirely of diamonds, with an ivory stick pierced and set with diamonds in a mosaic pattern; the outside ones were set with a single row of diamonds, whilst very large brilliants fastened the fan at the bottom.’

The eighteenth century was indeed, par excellence, the era of the fan, which was to be seen in the hands of every woman, from princess to peasant.

CHAPTER IX

ENGRAVED FANS OF THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES. PART I

THE practice of engraving fans, begun tentatively in Italy by Agostino Carracci in the latter half of the sixteenth century, and in France by Callot somewhat later, did not become general until the close of the century that followed, although two names—those of Abraham Bosse and Nicholas Loire—stand out prominently during this interval.

The engraving of Carracci referred to in an early chapter of this work, and illustrated opposite, must be regarded as merely a design for a fan, serving no other purpose apparently, in its engraved form, than as a record of a type of fan now practically obsolete, and of which no examples in their complete or original state remain to us.

The earliest engraved fans take the form of the hand-screens in general use in Italy and elsewhere at this period. Of these, the engraving known as ‘l’éventail de Callot,’ much sought after by iconophilists, was produced in the year 1619, and is one of the most esteemed plates of the master. The subject is a fête or carnival on the Arno, given at Florence on the 25th of July of that year by the Corporations of Weavers and Dyers, the whole subject being enclosed in a characteristic cartouche, on the lower portion of which the name ‘Jacomo Callot fec.’ appears.

Two states of this engraving are known. The first, before the inscription on the ribbon and the name on the cartouche, being extremely rare.131

Callot has been credited with a second fan, which also takes the form of a cartouche of similar shape to the first mentioned. The subject is a dance in a garden—six persons are seen dancing a minuet before an assembled company. This engraving, however, is rightly ascribed by the best authorities to Stefano della Bella.

This subject was imitated and amplified by Nicolas Cochin the elder, the composition rearranged, a larger number of figures introduced, with a different and more elaborate background, the cartouche being similar.

Cochin also produced a subject of the Triumph of David, who is represented on horseback, sword in hand, with the head of Goliath, the cartouche copied from Callot, inscribed ‘Balthasar Montcornet, ex Cum privilegio a paris.’

Another of these engraved hand-screens consists of a frame composed of two large eagles, with the arms of Austria and Medicis, enclosing a view of the Villa Reale near Florence, freely etched in the manner of Israel Silvestre.

A set of four hand-screens was engraved by Christopher Fredr. Hörman; prints of Nos. 3 and 4 appear in the British Museum collection. No. 3 is included in Lady Charlotte Schreiber’s book, No. 4 being reproduced here. The subjects are ballet dancers in fantastic costume, accompanied by, in each instance, a figure playing a musical instrument.

The distinguished French engraver, Abraham Bosse (born 1602, died 1676), engraved three fans during the years 1637-38, much valued by collectors. The ornament of these, designed in a florid Renaissance style, consists of amorini, masks, festoons, etc., enclosing medallions of mythological subjects—the first being the birth of Adonis, Venus and Adonis, and the death of Adonis; the second—the Judgment of Paris, a Cupid drawing his bow, and a Cupid with a crown; the third—the four ages: of gold, silver, bronze, and iron.

No examples of these engravings appear in the British Museum collection. A print of the Judgment of Paris is in the Bibliothèque Nationale, but permission to reproduce it could not be obtained.

The title-page of Nicholas Loire’s work, Desseins de grands Éventails, appears in the Schreiber collection, together with six engravings from the work. This title-page, by far the most characteristic design of the series, takes the form of a folding-fan, full size. Its subject is an arabesque, composed of a droll with cap and bells playing a guitar, and two fantastic dancing figures on an ornamental festooned platform supported by the wings of female terminals; cornucopia, amorini, vases and flowers serve to complete the composition. It is inscribed: ‘Divers Desseins de grands Eventails, Ecrans, et autres Ornamens, Inventés et Gravés par Nicholas Loire, A Paris chez Jombert rüe Dauphin, No. 56,’ and signed ‘Loire fecit.’

The designs, which measure eight inches, are evidently intended to form the central subjects of fans, to be completed and coloured by hand. They include ‘The Judgment of Paris,’ enclosed in a cartouche with Cupids, fruit, etc.; an eastern goddess, seated under a canopy, the drapery of which is sustained by two serving-men; Isaac and Rebekah; The finding of Moses; Venus; and Europa.

The topical fan, having reference to royal and distinguished personages, or recording public events, was entirely the product of the eighteenth century. It was, broadly speaking, born with the century, and died with it. During this period, the engraved fan became a purveyor of history, a kind of running commentary on the affairs of the hour. It was the fan of the people—the poor relation of the more aristocratic painted fan. ‘Ill drawn, roughly modelled, and often vilely bedaubed,’ says Henri Bouchot in his entertaining ‘History on Fans,’132 ‘its genesis is not hard to determine; its fathers were Callot and Abraham Bosse, and its mothers the coquettes of the grand siècle.’ We shall, therefore, lightly, though perhaps somewhat too swiftly, traverse the fascinating period above indicated, with this sprightly annotator for guide, which finds amusement in ‘Malbrouk’ and his mock burial, follows Stanislaus into his enforced retirement in Alsace, alternately sympathises with and mocks at the woes of the unfortunate Louis and his family, with apparent careless nonchalance records the chief scenes of the reign of terror, celebrates the amazing triumphs, and witnesses the ultimate defeat of Napoleon.

Naval and military events, for reasons which will be sufficiently obvious, play a comparatively unimportant part in French fan decoration. ‘Malbrouk’ (Marlborough) is, however, lampooned in three scenes from the popular song of ‘Malbrouk,’ said to have been composed on the night after the battle of Malplaquet, September 11, 1709, and a plagiarism of a Huguenot song on the death of the Duc de Guise,133 written by Théodore de Bèze and published by the Abbé de la Place in his collection of fragments, the first verse of which runs as follows:

‘Malbrouk’ provided the subject of several fans, the most popular versions giving three vignettes. In the centre his tomb inscribed ‘Ci Git Malbrouk,’ guarded by four soldiers. Below are portions of the thirteenth and fourteenth verses:

On the left, his departure, Madame taking an affectionate leave; below:

On the right, the tower, Madame with telescope, page bringing news of Malbrouk’s death; below, a portion of fourth verse:

On the back of the fan are nineteen verses of the song with music, and the refrain: ‘Miron, ton-ton-ton-miron.’

An example appears in Miss Moss’s collection, with the reverse only engraved, the obverse painted in gouache on skin, the stick ivory, pierced and carved.

Several versions of the engraved fan are extant—one with similar arrangements to that above described, and the Histoire de Malbrouk in thirty-one verses on the back. A second has, for centre, Malbrouk’s body carried by soldiers; on the left, Madame on tower, page bringing news, both in tears; on the right the tomb, ten verses from the second part of the song, filling the field of the fan. On a third, in the centre, Malbrouk taking leave; on the left, page bringing news of his death; on the right, the tomb; on the reverse, the verses of the song, with music, and the refrain:

The fan of ‘La Coquette,’ with those of ‘la Belle Chanteuse’ and ‘le Galant,’ and portraits of Babet the flower-girl (a popular character of the period), were issued by the dealer Crépy and sold by the score to the frequenters of the theatre.

La Coquette herself, with her paniers occupying nearly a third of the fan, demurely takes her tea. She is, doubtless, the sister of Mademoiselle Alluré, who dances to the music of a viola, while the small half-opened fan, the fan within the fan, sings:

The half-opened fan of ‘La Coquette’ is also provided with a subject of which, perhaps, the less said the better:

The peasant girl, with her panier on hip and panier on arm, is also a coquette; ‘Je vais en Vendange remplir mon Panier,’ says she, the sort of vintage the cunning Margot hopes for being sufficiently obvious, even without the love-knot that loops the frame of the miniature with its accompanying legend, ‘J’ay bien des camarades sur la place,’ and the knave of diamonds standing hard by.

The ‘little air’ with its explanatory picture says:

A pictorial rebus (referring to ‘l’éventail magnifique’), a game board, a harlequin, and a billet-doux (N’oubliez pas le porteur) complete the composition; the whole being an instance of the Parisian’s insatiable love of badinage. Printed in Paris in 1734.

In Le bal des Nations, the several countries are figured as pretty women at a costume ball; this representing the fan’s comment on the declaration of war with the Emperor Charles VI. Each of the actors of the piece delivers a song, the words of which are printed round the top of the fan. La France sings:

La France is followed by L’Espagne, La Sardaigne, L’Italie, L’Allemagne, La Saxe, La Russie, La Pologne, La Turquie, La Hollande and L’Angleterre. The air, (le Bel Age), printed on the fan.

Events failed to bear out the fan’s predictions. The news of the defeat of Stanislaus was carefully concealed from Queen Marie, the king causing a special copy of the Gazette to be printed announcing her father’s successes.

The queen, however, remained in ignorance but a short while; the fan, the popular newspaper of the period, very speedily announced—‘Capture of Dantzic by the Russians, unconditional surrender.’ The picture—Stanislaus escaping through a gateway with his band of mounted followers.

‘Malbrouk’ crops up again towards the middle of the century; the folly of ‘Pantins’134 and Bilboquets had been superseded by le ‘fureur de cabriolets,’ to be in turn driven away by ‘Malbrouk.’ ‘Une Folie chasse l’autre’ exhibits ‘Malbrouk’ fully equipped with sword and buckler, issuing from a tent held open by a fool in cap and motley, driving away figures of a woman playing bilboquet, a dancing abbé with Pantin, a cabaret-keeper, and a man with flag and lantern.

To the air of ‘Chacun à son Tour,’ the fan sings:

We have also a satire on the separation of America from England, who is represented as a cow, with America in the act of sawing off its horns; Holland milking it; Spain waiting to receive the milk. A lion representing England has lost its right paw. To the left ‘Jacques Rosbif’ and a companion in despairing attitudes, with the deed of separation and a bale of goods labelled ‘TEE.’ The whole scene is being witnessed

by a group of figures representing the Powers of Europe, with a paper inscribed ‘Epoque fatale. 4 Juillet, 1776, & le 13 Mar. 1778.’ On the reverse the ‘Explication de l’emblème’ as—

1. ‘La Vache & le Lion sont le symbole de l’Angleterre.’

2. ‘La Corne qu’on a sciée à la Vache, la Patte qu’on a coupée au Lion, & la tranquillité de ces Animaux désignent la foiblesse & l’épuisement actuels de la Nation,’ etc.135

The capture of Granada by the French fleet under the Comte d’Estaing, in 1799, is commemorated, the fan illustrating the sea-fight between French and English ships.

The fortunes of the ill-fated Louis Seize and his beautiful consort are followed to the final tragedy of 1793 with its momentous consequences. We have seen how the good citizens of Dieppe celebrated the joyful occasion of the birth of the dauphin by the gift to the queen-mother of a precious fan of carved ivory. On the more humble printed fan, Immortality, amid a great concourse of people, with fireworks and illuminations in the background, presents the royal infant on a cushion, to kneeling, admiring, and devoted France, who offers a basket of hearts. The inscription, ‘Le Dauphin présenté par l’immortalité, la France saisie d’admiration offre pour hommage à son Prince chéri les cœurs unis et respectueux de ses fidèles sujets.’

Again the fan sings the birth of the dauphin; in this the royal infant, in leading-strings, advances to meet the king, his father, who is standing near. Above, a genius floats in the air, with a wreath and two shields of arms bearing fleurs-de-lys and two dolphins. On either side are verses entitled ‘Chanson sur la Naissance du Dauphin. Air, de la Pantoufle.’

The song of ‘Malbrouk’ came once again into fashion in 1782. It was sung by the nurse to the infant dauphin, and hence became one of the favourite tunes of Marie-Antoinette. Beaumarchais introduced it into Le Mariage de Figaro in 1784, the piece having been privately performed before the king at Versailles, the queen taking the part of Suzanne. ‘Malbrouk,’ say the authors of the Mémoires Secrets de Bachaumont, ‘has become the hero of every fashion—to-day everything is “à la Malbrouk”—ribbons, head-dresses, waistcoats, above all, hats “à la Malbrouk,” and one sees all the ladies, either walking in the streets, on the promenade, or at the play, “rigged out” in this grotesque couvre-chef.’

Most things mundane, however, come to an end sooner or later—even the star of Malbrouk, in its turn, is eclipsed:

On a fine evening at the end of August 1783, the peasants of Gonesse were astonished by a ‘bolt from the blue’ in the shape of Professor Charles’s balloon. ‘What is it?’ they exclaim—‘some strange demon, or a visitant from Mars.’ The machine, which had no occupant, King Louis having objected to a man risking his neck, only escaped destruction by the interference of the parish priest. Here, surely, was an opportunity for the fan, by which, as a matter of fact, it was not slow in profiting. Balloon-fans became at once the mode, and ‘La Mode’ appropriated the balloon; hats ‘au ballon,’ everything—dresses, ribbons, even hair, ‘au ballon.’

On December 1st of the same year, MM. Charles and Robert made their ascent in the gardens of the Tuileries. We therefore have a fan representing the departure of ‘les deux intrépides,’ with a group of spectators, among whom are two members of the Royal House, ‘des seigneurs quantité.’ On the reverse, two lines of music and five stanzas of verse, of which the first runs as follows: