Fan and its history, girls with fans

The fan is a device with which the face is cooled during the heat.

The fan appeared in ancient times, as evidenced by excavations and drawings on shards. For example, the Chinese fan was already known in the VIII-II centuries BC. Of course, the first fans were ordinary leaves or feathers, then they began to use silk and parchment, painting them with flowers, birds, decorating them with gold and silver.

In those ancient times, the fans were not folding and the fans were called, which fanned the emperor, and this role was usually performed by a young slave. Then folding fans appeared. They were used for a long time at the court of the emperor (in India, China, Japan), since the fan was a symbol of power. Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Byzantium - this is how the fan passed from era to era. By the 15th and 16th centuries, fans became a necessary accessory for every lady at the king's court - this was the Baroque style. They were a necessary part of the ladies' toilet and were even used as a flirting tool.

Girlsbefore they appeared in the world, they had to learn how to use a fan. The ladies could open the fan only when the queen appeared. At this time, fans liked to depict scenes from ancient mythology or from the life of the royal court.

Fans were made of ostrich and peacock feathers, then leather trimmings were used, mother of pearl, ivory, tortoise shell, silk, sandalwood and bamboo were used. They depicted floral ornament, depicted mountains, rivers, waterfalls.

The fan was also used in Russia. The first fans began to appear in the middle of the 17th century during the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich. These fans were brought on diplomatic visits as gifts and kept as a rare curiosity. Already under Peter the Great, when the first balls and "assemblies" appeared, at which the presence of ladies was mandatory, fans, as in Europe, became a necessary attribute of women's dress. At first, they were supplied from Europe, and in the middle of the 18th century, under Catherine the Great, fan production in Russia was also established. The art of using a fan also mattered with us.

In Russia, fans also loved to decorate, but with an inherent national taste. Jasper, gold, emeralds, rubies were used as decorations, pearl, embroidery, enamel. The fan-made production was attended by wood and bone craftsmen, engravers, painters, jewelers and others.

The demand for fans also increased in Russia. In addition to the need for it as the main element of the ladies' dress at balls, receptions, they began to express their feelings and secret thoughts - a fan language appeared, as well as the language of flowers. By lightly tapping with a fan or with a sharp clap, closing fan, the lady could express her feelings and thoughts to the one to whom her eyes turned.

Thanks to the many surviving fans of Maria Feodorovna, wife of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich, some historical events from the life of the royal court have come down to us. As you know, the Danish Court became related to many Courts of Europe, so relatives from all over Europe once a year gathered for a meeting in Fredensborg. A shell-shaped fan with a garland of many roses bears the inscription "Fredensborg 1870".

Maria Feodorovna kept the second fan in memory of the marriage of her brother and Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna, which took place in St. Petersburg. The fan, made of black leather, bears the inscription "WINNY", a golden crown and two state emblems - Denmark and Russia. As you know, the name of Maria Fyodorovna's brother was Christian Wilhelm, home name "Vinnie". In 1863, under the name of George I, he ascended the Greek throne.

Another fan is a witness of memorable events, the fan on the front side of which shows a branch of a rose hip, and on the reverse side there are many autographs, apparently, of numerous relatives and relatives, who this time gathered in the royal castle of Fredensborg from all European houses on the occasion of the birth of their daughter Alexandra at George I and Olga Konstantinovna. Therefore, the fan was used this time as an album.

There is a fan-souvenir with portraits of Alexander III, Maria Feodorovna and their children, painted by I.N. Kramskoy.

Among the events that took place in the royal family left in memory for us, there are also souvenir fans. These fans are reminiscent of balls in the Palace of the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich in St. Petersburg. The ball is described in the magazine "World Illustration". Since the ball was fancy-dress, the servants were also dressed in costumes from different eras associated with the history of Russia: they were Varangians, Scythians, knights, archers ... Those who came to the ball also dressed in costumes, as if all of Russia had resurrected and sent all its representatives to the ball ... Everything was described in great detail in the magazine. So, on one of the fans in a cartoon form, some of them were captured by Ivan Alexandrovich Vsevolzhsky, director of the Imperial Petersburg and Moscow theaters. According to the description given in magazine, you can recognize those present at this ball.

There are also fans that can remind us and tell us about the political events of that time - the visit of the Russian squadron to France in 1891-1893. At the Paris Opera, on the occasion of the arriving Russian guests, a performance was given, at the end of which the apotheosis of the Franco-Russian alliance was presented. How it was on the stage - the image on the fan, which was painted by the famous French artist Louise Abbema, best of all tells us.

Today, the fan does not have the meaning that was attached to it in the past, but still finds a place in our life. Wall fans are popular, which decorate the interior and attract good luck.