The History
The fan had a brilliant trajectory in France, which during the 18th century set the fashion in that field, just as in many others of the Decorative Arts, with the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles. The production of this beautiful fashion accessory only lasted in France until the 19th century and during the Belle Époque..
The art of making fans was established in Spain in the mid-19th century, and the product spread to Europe during the 20th century, where it is increasingly in fashion. Although there were several production centers for fans in Spain, such as Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, or Cádiz, which were active during the 19th century, the true cradle of the Spanish fan was Valencia, where its production continues today almost exclusively, making Abanicos Taberner one of the oldest artisanal factories..
Fans of the 19th Century
The first of January 1800 was considered the premier of Nivoise in revolutionary France. It was by no means the first day of the revolution, and although fashions were changing, many people continued to dress as they had in previous years. Evidently, women still had fans that they had enjoyed in the past, but many of them were destroyed or moved, as treasured possessions, to the host countries of the refugees from the revolutions that the French Revolution of 1789 had triggered across Europe. Fashions and fans were changing as a consequence of the economic conditions of the time..
During the 18th century, France was undoubtedly the arbiter of fashion both in Europe and America. French fans reigned everywhere, although English ones, especially those carved from ivory, were in high demand. During the reign of Louis XVI, with Marie Antoinette's inclination for beautiful objects, fans were designed to reflect the taste for chinoiseries, fêtes champêtres, or family and romantic games, and by the end of the reign, printed fans, which were more affordable, allowed a growing number of women access to the world of politics. During the revolution, and after it, a new society emerged, the nouveaux riches and those who now lived day to day trying to forget the horrors they had seen or suffered..
The color and shine were all the rage, and women replaced the paniers they had used until then to widen their silhouette with elegant dresses featuring flowing lines, made from fabrics like cotton muslins, fine wools, or silks imported from India and China, which were all the rage, and fans gradually decreased in size. Even so, an elegant woman could carry her mother's fan, especially in England or Spain, where changes occurred more gradually and fashions were more conservative.
The materials and the size
It should be noted that some of the traditional materials for making fans, such as ivory or tortoiseshell, originating from distant countries outside the European continent, began to become scarce as the confrontations between France and England over supremacy of the oceans grew. At the same time, many artisans had to enlist in the armies and naval forces of their countries at war.
Como consecuencia, el marfil fue sustituido por hueso de toro, que en realidad tiene la misma composición química, y el cuerno ocupó el lugar del carey. Cada vez fueron menos los abanicos pintados, y más los bordados o cubiertos de lentejuelas, y era posible comprar en las ferias pequeños abanicos con cuerno brisé, fáciles de ocultar durante el apogeo de la moda de porincipios del siglo XIX.
From the 1830s to the 1840s, the size of fans began to grow again, and with the arrival of steam and the development of markets, their use became almost universal. Feathers started to become fashionable in them. Spain is particularly known during that time for its elaborate Isabeline mother-of-pearl fans..
The materials and the size
En la década de 1860, la emperatriz de Francia, nacida en España, Eugenia de Montijo, muy sensible a las modas, impulsó la producción de articles de luxe en Francia, patrocinando a fabricantes de encaje