The Museu do Oriente will house, until September, a collection of 180 oriental fans used in the old continent from the 16th century. The inauguration is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. this Thursday.
An exhibition on oriental fans used in Europe since the 16th century will bring together 180 pieces, some rare, including objects and historical documents, starting this Thursday at the Museu do Oriente, in Lisbon.
Entitled “By the way of the oriental fans”, the exhibition frames the history of the use of the fan, with pieces from the Museu do Oriente collection and from 23 other sourcesfrom national museums to private collections, according to the organization.
The set included objects of painting, sculpture, photography, porcelain and graphic documents that illustrate the use of the fan and its symbolic value as a ceremonial and social communication instrument of the time.
Since its introduction in the West, the fan has become an object of fascination, far beyond the most basic utility of cooling the heat, through which social and cultural messages related to luxury, exoticism, status, etc. and power.
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The exhibition brings together information on the origin and functions of the fan in different civilizations, the diversity of shapes, materials and manufacturing techniques, the circulation dynamics and the economic relevance of the fan in China’s export trade, led by Macao and Guangzhou. in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
In this period, the range reached its apogee in the West, where it became part of women’s clothing at balls, salons, and social gatheringsbeing used as a discreet form of expression in seduction games.
The exhibition tour includes sections dedicated to Chinese “mandarin”, pleated, “brisé”, commemorative and Japanese fans, with materials ranging from mother-of-pearl, ivory or tortoiseshell, silk and paper, painted with colorful and detailed scenes. with landscapes, gardens, court scenes or historical themes.
The unprecedented exhibition, curated by researcher Paulo de Assunção, opens this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and will be on display at the Museu do Oriente until September 10, 2023, from Tuesday to Sunday.
Source: Observadora
