Vouwwaaier met dubbel blad van papier, waarop een ronde, uitgeknipte stippelgravure voorstellend een zittende vrouw omgeven door lovers met aan weerszijden een chinoiserie figuurtje met zijden kleren, op een ajour gesneden montuur van been c. 1790

This folding fan, made by Francis Wheatley, presents a delicate stippled engraving of a seated woman amidst lovers, flanked by chinoiserie figures on an openwork bone frame. The central image of the woman, reminiscent of classical nymphs, evokes themes of love and melancholy. Note how the chinoiserie figures, popular in the 18th century, reflect a European fascination with the exotic East, a recurring motif seen in various art forms across the continent. These figures, though whimsical, carry within them the weight of cultural exchange and the complexities of orientalism, illustrating how societies project desires and fantasies onto distant lands. The fan, a functional object adorned with such potent symbols, becomes more than a mere accessory. It is a carrier of cultural memory, reflecting the emotional and psychological landscape of its time. It is a reminder of how symbols evolve, resurface, and take on new meanings, perpetually engaging us in a dialogue between past and present.