Edward E. and Jane B. Ford Gallery
Open August 31 2019 through January 12, 2020
A collection of over 50 fans from the 18th to the early 20th centuries including mourning fans, hand-colored lithographs, hand painted feather fans, lace fans, exotic fans, and advertising fans constructed from a variety of materials including ivory, bone, wood, leather, mother of pearl, tortoiseshell, celluloid, coconut fiber, silk, sequins and spangles. Ladies in centuries past rarely were without a hand fan to cool themselves in the summer heat and these popular items often were decorated with small paintings and other adornments so that they reflect the artistic tastes of their era.