The garden bench 1915

Rupert Bunny painted this scene of two women in a garden with oils. Note the fan held delicately in one woman’s hand. It’s more than just a tool for a gentle breeze, it's a symbol of courtship and intrigue. Fans have fluttered through art history, each movement telling a silent story. We see them in ancient Egyptian art, used in royal processions, and in classical paintings. Over time, the language of the fan evolved in European courts, where a slight flick could signal interest or disinterest. Think of the subtle gestures in a Fragonard painting; fans become central to a dance of seduction. The fan in Bunny's painting engages with our collective memory, stirring subconscious associations with romance and secrecy. The careful, almost ritualistic holding of the fan reminds us of the non-linear journey of cultural symbols, and how they resurface and evolve across different eras.