La declaration. F rench 18th century silk fan.

Love in a Mist

 

2nd November 2010 – 27th February 2011

Love in a Mist is the name given to a charming, delicate flower (Nigella Damascena), light blue in colour, with thin wispy grey-green sprays around it. Forget-me-not (Myosotis), the flower of love for sentimental Victorians is also pale blue and gentle as the wafting of a fan. The exhibition of fans entitled “Love in a Mist” celebrates that perennial phenomenon which is Love in all its aspects. Fans for Eros, the god of Love, and his mythical mother Aphrodite (Venus) the goddess of Love and Beauty, hearts and amatory devices, flowers of Love, all have their place on fans which promote that great and universal feeling.

The Fan Museum will be closed for refurbishment from January 7th 2011 to February 8th 2011. This exhibition (starting on November 2nd 2010) will re-open on February 8th 2011, in time for Valentine’s Day on the 14th February.

Hearts and Roses may inspire the young at heart but love at first sight is by no means a new occurrence. Biblical fans illustrate those beautiful words of the Old Testament, when Jacob first met Rachel who was “graceful and beautiful”. She was coming to water her father’s sheep at the well – a moment often depicted in Art, and there “he kissed Rachel, and was moved to tears”.

At a time when we all have to “tighten our belts”, it is good to remember that true love is still alive and well, and that “love springs eternal” – in any event at The Fan Museum

 

NOTE FOR EDITORS
For further information or photographs please contact:
Hélène Alexander at The Fan M useum, 12 Crooms Hill, Greenwich, London SE10 8ER. Tel: 020 8305 1441, fax: 020 8293 1889.
E-mail: admin@fan-museum.org, or visit www.fan-museum.org.
The Fan Museum is open to the public Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 5pm, and Sunday from 12noon to 5pm. Admission charges: £4.00 (adults), £3.00 (concessions). Free for OAPs and Disabled on Tuesdays from 2-5pm (except for groups). Free for children under 7.

The Fan Museum will be closed for refurbishment from January 7th 2011 to February 8th 2011. This exhibition (starting on November 2nd 2010) will re-open on February 8th 2011, in time for Valentine’s Day on the 14th February.