Vouwwaaier met blad van papier waarop in aquarel een huwelijksscène c. 1765 - 1780

Editor: This folding fan from the late 18th century, currently held at the Rijksmuseum, features a watercolor painting on paper, depicting what looks like a wedding scene. It gives off such a dreamy, fairytale-like atmosphere, doesn't it? How do you interpret this work? Curator: Absolutely, and its Rococo style situates it within a very specific moment in European history. Looking at the marriage scene, what do you make of the power dynamics presented here, considering this object was primarily used by women of the aristocracy? Editor: Hmm, it does seem to idealize marriage, placing it in a rather romanticized, almost ethereal setting with those figures on the cloud. Is it trying to mask the social contracts involved? Curator: Precisely. We can unpack the imagery, right? The fan becomes a tool, almost like a subtle weapon of the elite. By displaying such idyllic scenes, are they reinforcing societal expectations of women and marriage? What about the implied audience for such an image and its relationship to courtship at the time? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the fan itself being part of that communication! So, the imagery isn’t just pretty decoration; it's actively participating in the social and political climate. Curator: Exactly! Think about the limited options available to women in that era. Marriage was often a transaction. This object reflects those pressures but perhaps also offers a silent commentary on them. Whose story isn’t being told in this pretty picture? Editor: It’s incredible how much we can read from a single object. I definitely see it in a completely different light now, especially its function as more than just an accessory. Curator: It is an invitation to consider whose interests were served in creating and consuming these images, and what those images may have obscured. These kinds of artifacts can offer amazing perspectives on life in centuries past.