Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costume Parisien, 1805, An 13 (631) Grande Parure 1805

This fashion plate from the Journal des Dames et des Modes, created in Paris in 1805 by Horace Vernet, presents an elegant woman with a large fan and a dress decorated with flowers. The fan, beyond its practical use, is an intriguing symbol. We can trace the use of fans as not only a utilitarian object but also an object of fashion and symbolism from ancient civilizations like Egypt and Greece through to its popular use in eighteenth-century Europe. As an accessory, the fan becomes a tool for courtship, used to convey everything from shyness to overt interest. It appears in countless images, evolving from a sacred object to a fashion item, laden with unspoken emotional and social cues. The gesture of holding a fan close to the face conveys a sense of mystery, a visual representation of concealed emotions that has resonated across centuries. These reappearances and subtle transformations demonstrate how deeply ingrained these symbols are in our collective unconscious.