Die Japanerin by Hans Makart

Die Japanerin c. 1870

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Copyright: Public Domain: Artvee

Hans Makart’s painting presents a woman adorned in what Westerners imagined Japanese attire to be; fan, kimono, elaborate hairpins. These props speak to a Western fascination with the exotic, perceived to be enticing and dangerous. The fan is a key element here. It is a symbol of status, intimacy, and secrecy. We can trace its origins back to ancient Egypt, where it was used in royal ceremonies. Later, in Europe, the fan became a tool of courtship, with a language all its own, opening and closing the fan to convey veiled messages. This notion of a hidden language embedded in objects, and a shared cultural understanding, touches upon our collective unconscious, as if objects carry their own historical weight. This orientalist fantasy reflects a desire for transformation and adventure, a projection of inner desires onto another culture, engaging viewers on a subconscious level. Symbols constantly evolve, echoing across time, and shaping our present.

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