The Oregon daily journal., June 07, 1908, Page 33, Image 33

THE .OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND. SUNDAY HORNING? JUNES' 7. 1 1903
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1 When stitched upon framework" representing
the highest expression of the ivory carver's skill t
a fan of this kind could well become the prize
possession of a queen. . - )''
i, From . the ideal, : artistic fancy,, in time,
awting to Lthe chimerical, and the; imagination
of ' tha- artists was extended " thf 6ugh6ut' the
range of the great human families, and even
' into the animaljdngdonvr .V- -v: 'vt--:-'
' Alongside pretty shepherdesses with"', their '
crooks were to be fojmd Chinese, with pointed
caps drooping moustaches and queues falling to
? the heels. c - ' "'
schemes
orna-
vere moni
morphosed :
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IT JvVi "J T Tx. In . J4 , - V
J .-'&Mr W ft I 1 V ,
&eM wife - ..
.1 . - , 'There w e r e ,
""w-" n . ' ' doTe". in'v -these':
ssjv v- : schemes of - orna-
. mentatioxi,' and:
xvr-; . there - were monkeys' '
N petamorphosed into
7
OAE irry beautiful fans have been
i' 1 'Produced by 'the makers, art as a re
i suit of the recent renaissance of that
sunshadewhen needed for that purpose, and its use as
such may have inspired the invention of the parasol.
While the drees fan was considerably smaller in size,
if raa rtrrnnnr1mrW morn plptrant. Moat of those
i important aid to woman si coquetry. It is used in England, it is 'thought, were imported from
doubtful, however, if. present-day fan-mak- France. - v
i inr renius can excellevcn equal in many 1 For, centuries ago, the French became famous as
' " respects the wonderful , French . creations -ers.-Each succeeding generation ecemed to ito-
? of the half century or so immediately pre
' ceding the Revolution. .
' ' ; Last xvintcr- this country witnessed a
f remarkable revival of the enormous feather
or plume fans, with their handsome sticks of
i carved ivory. Particularly were they in
i evidence at operatic performances as pleas-
, ing adjuncts to costly gowns and sparkling
' lira.
( - But the belles of the'day of Louis XV,
A had made for them fans calculated to de
flight by their beauty the heart of woman in
'any age. J Collections of these in European
museums are among the inost highly prized
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'
-
be done by one painter. perKaps 4ffne-'f Tacra
than ordinary distinction, while the reverse, OS
back, would be the product of, anothei-and, wr
haps, rather mediocre genius. ; .... .
For auch work the promineir'paJ1if'B
the day were paid good priceSrtteaatorthbM
- times. ; J' ; ' ,,-i
r put th"0 world taa lways-4nrare3 noTeltJk
and, in. time, the dandies and . grand- dames
' whose patronage contributed to ihe pTospexitJ!
'. of the ; f an-makers-.'demanded' something more
than mere beauty. .' - . ' - ? v
: V Pastoral 'scenes cupida, eEepher3eBse .act
"lother such, ornamental devices were all right in
, their way .'and pleasing enough. totlook upon.
but, Rafter all, there was a monotony in gazing
continuously upon a mere panorama of nature,
v h ' Accordingly, mechanical genius '.was called
-to the aid of art. In imitation of certain n
tertaining pocket watches of . the period,- it be
- , came the custom to conceal mechanism in tha
(handles, of the f ans, by whioh small figures in.
the face of the fan were given motioa-juidanada
'to do amusing stunts1. ' :
k' GENIUS EVOLVED-NOVEimB , ;
r In the decoration of th'e fan. for eianrDle.!
, a xover.xaignt oe seen m tne act ot serenadimj
.'his- sweetheart By " pressinff a button, he
v beauty ; for wjbom the serenade . was intended
v could be made! to appear at a window, or on p
balcony, with true JRomeo-Snd-Juliet effect.
Or. the nicture micht show a uliPTiViAr lo.n-1
; ing against a well and mournfully playing '
' flute. A touch' of a.springr. and a pretty shep-,
- herdess,1 would arise from the well,'witii' a smi3.'
of welcome on her face and a bouquet in her
hand. , : J
m , Sometimes the fancy of tb!e artist would de
; pict the interior of a convent, ehowihg the som
berly garbed sisters in meditation or some quiet1
pufsuit possibly to impress the more frivolous
' minded among the young women of the world.
For the mabk balls so popular at that time)
fans were made with a mask; in : the, center.
These iould be used with charming effect by the
coquettish belles of the day. - j . r -v.-
.The imagination of painters and the genius
ox lnventive-mecBamcs worked together
y continually to produce novel effects. '
. ( .
of the relics of the past,, and are certainly
among.the most beauitfuU
Perhaps it was the inspiration of rare.
'June days that lit up the art genius of those'
old fan-makers -who, by the way, formed,
one of the earliest trusts of history as pas-
toral scenes and outdoor enjoyments formed
the major part of the decorative schemes
employed.
and that they succeeded is shown by many speci
mens of their combined skill that have survived. '
' Relations of cause ; and effect were well
demonstrated' ; by . the .popularity of fans in
France during the gayest era of .that country's ;
history.' Their widespread favor aroused the '
makers to their best efforts, and the beautiful
products of their skill made such fans all the
more in demands- S :
Indeed,the woman who went out without .
men; mere were serpenia, ioo, dus c.vuxu . t ementary notions of good
pents. eraceful in appearance and seemingly , , v
EE01I out the remote antiquity of. the
, East came the fan, to be the delight and
, companion of the women of succeeding
' centuries. ,
; As far back as history reaches, the Hebrews,;
Egyptians. Chinese and the miscellaneous pop
ulation of India could be found'with the fan
"in their midst." -r -. .
. .Fr?m. the collection of Egyptian antiquities '
in the British JInseum, the fan, as an article of
feminine taste and luxury, is found to be as old ,'
as the agricultural implement. v- -
' In fact, it is quite probable that Mother Eve,
on warm summer days, discovered the palm leaf
to be almost as useful in the first household of
me worm as was ttie fig leaf.
willing to be charmed by the melody of the shep
herd's pipe. ' " ,
1 Of course; flowers, garlands and louquets ,
were used liberally by the fan-makers, and many
of the . delicate picture - effects were ' beautiful
-in-the extreme.: ' " . . ' -
In, fact, some' famous painters used. to give
Ithflir.lwRt -nfiforta ' to ..these- tasks.; painting in.:
iv v ht Viila 4ia YmrAer tma Cellar,,
Yr tmtmk hand. r ; secure enougn
Sometimes, too. the face of the: fan might, beautiful fans by.
t.aatn.
Favart, a famous Parisian- actor of tne
middle of the eighteenth century, , was a noted
authority on fans and was skilled in their man
ufacture. It was fortunate for him that sucH
was the case. . ,-. ; ; , . ' -,.
Domestic difficulties . brought him under tha
'displeasure of the powerful Marshal Saxe, and
the actor was compelled, to conceal himself in
There, for a -long tune, ne managed to
money for cis needs Dy painting
tne ugit ot a lamp.
From Roman usaire the fun
down to the ladies of France, Spain and Italv, 7Tko Z.rZ&n ' - and i
dos. countries it Prosed the channel Profit ?ne
did the early Christian missionary int' P t!"!011' A-. '
England. - -
In those early days there were walking, or
outdoor fans as well as those for use on dress
wattini fan. U ... i enair'1?suaiIy' w" h ; s; according to the prevailing sentiment ct
walking fan; U was large enough to serve rs a - the day, the strictness or laxity f the moral code.
prove in the art, until, by the- middle of the Naked beauty was. frequently presented in
eighteenth century, the beautiful creations such ' an atmosphere of sensuality that good taste had
as are now preserved so carefully in museums a right to reprove.. In those days the right was
were evolved.- t '. : T i . not frequently exercised, :however.t , j t
At that time i the master,' fan-makers' teal- -The pastorals were often t decidedly , more,
ously guarded their trade.' There was a guild of ' terrestrial than celestiali'n suggestion. -The gods ;
such. workers, who formed an exceedingly close, and demigods were generally exiled from vthe
v. j '
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corporation. In 1753 this select class numbered
their monopoly, was a
In the decorative schemes .-of the period
pastoral scenes and the human figure occupied
the principal place. " ,'"'
1 hemes were treated with more or less bold-'
scenes. - , , . , . '
There -were scenes of lovers' 'meetings "of. -romances
in the parks; of romping cjbildren and
shepherd maidens, of , see-saws and ; swings . and '
'playing fountains, of water nymphs and gnomes, y
of fairies,a6prites and, sometimes, of "angels. ;
.-- ." Beautifully done in water-colors upon epe-?
cially prepared parchment; many of these crea-
tions indicated artistic genius of -a high order.
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