A breath of air

Détail de l'odalisque de Ingres, éventail en plume d'autruche 1814

You've probably noticed that fans are making a strong comeback. In our streets, our

On subways and terraces, this age-old object has reclaimed its place in our hands. But do you know the fascinating history of this accessory, a blend of utility, art, fashion, and a secret language?

1. Ancient origins: sacred and utilitarian object

• In China the first fans were fixed hand screens, the rigid silk fan (Pien-mien) appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC and was linked to imperial ceremonies.

• In Greece, the fan, known as rhipis from the 5th century BC, was a simple screen with a handle, usually in the shape of an arum or palm leaf.

• In Egypt they were large fans made of ostrich and peacock feathers (flabellum), mounted on long handles.

At that time the fan was a multi-purpose object: it cooled, chased away insects, stoked fires, and affirmed social rank.

Lawrence Alma-Tadema, La Découverte de Moïse Moïse sauvé des eaux par la fille de Pharaon

Eventail chinois à écran plat (Pien mien) en soie peinte

2. The revolutionary invention: the folding fan

The major technological shift is taking place in Asia.

• Japan (7th-9th centuries) : The folding fan (ōgi or sensu), a major invention with a structure of bamboo slats held together by a thread or ribbon, was quickly adopted by the imperial court and became an artistic medium for poetry, painting, and calligraphy. Also noteworthy is the uchiwa. Made of bamboo and washi paper, and round in shape, it was imported from China as early as the 1st century CE. This flat fan was used by the aristocracy for cooling, masking their faces, or warding off evil spirits.

Eventail boshu uchiwa

• China : During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the round fan was a format commonly used by the greatest painters. Painted fans, often given as tokens of friendship, played an important role in the social life of the elite of the time. They combined in a single object the three perfections of the scholar: poetry, painting, and calligraphy. Once their frame was removed, they could be reassembled flat, thus becoming collector's items. The folding fan became widespread, but it was not adopted as a painting support until later, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Wen Boren (1502-1575) "Reunion au pavillon des orchidées" XVIème siècle Musée Cernuschi

3. The European Odyssey (16th century)

Brought back by Portuguese navigators from China and Japan, it conquered European courts. Catherine de Medici popularized it in France, and in 1678 Louis XIV established the guild of master fan makers. Paris became the capital of luxury fans, elevating the accessory with frames in ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, and leaves painted by the greatest masters.

Eventail Marie Antoinette.

4. The Golden Age (18th - 19th century)

The folding fan is at the height of its refinement and social function.

European coded language

This is the most romantic aspect of its story. While it's an exaggeration to imagine entire conversations, a non-verbal code has indeed been theorized.

In the 19th century, the Duvelleroy company , a famous Parisian fan maker, adopted and disseminated this code on cards included with their fans:

• Confessions: Placing it on the left cheek means "Yes"; touching the chin says "I love you"; hiding half the face behind the fan invites "Follow me"; closing it abruptly means "It's over"

• Commands: Fanning yourself slowly means "I am indifferent"; dropping it says: "I belong to you"; closing it abruptly expresses impatience or the end of a relationship; holding it open and still commands: "Wait".

Advertising and political media

Until the 1920s, the very fashionable fan became an advertising medium and a tool for political influence. Railway companies, major champagne brands or partisan slogans: everything fit in the palm of the hand.

Eventail suffragiste "Je désire voter" 1914 Bibliothèque Marguerite Durans Paris

Eventail publicitaire "Chemin de fer de l'ouest"       Cliché Amet Alain, Licence CC-BY, Collection Musée de Bretagne / Ecomusée de la Bintinais

5. Decline and renewal

After the First World War, the fan lost its prominence in the face of women's emancipation—with the notable exception of Spain, where the abanico remained inseparable from flamenco and daily life. Its coded language remains very much alive in Spanish tradition.

Today, Haute Couture is bringing the fan back into the spotlight, with houses like Dior and Chanel using it in their fashion shows, transforming it into a cutting-edge fashion accessory, while collectors are snapping up signed vintage pieces.

Eventail de mode Duvelleroy, collab pour la Paris Fashion Week

While the fan has endured through the centuries as a fashion accessory, I now envision it as a true work of art. In my studio, I reinterpret this iconic object through collage, transforming it into a purely decorative piece. Each creation is designed to bring a unique poetry to your spaces.

Discover my fans on valeriebcartier.com .