Current Location: In storage
Titles
Oracle Fan
Maker(s)
Maker:
Unknown
Entities
Categories
Description
Double paper leaf, printed, painted in watercolours and gilt.
The upper edge has a gold binding. Sticks of wood. Guards of wood edged and strengthened with ivory. (15+2). Brass rivet. Ivory arrow attached by a cream silk cord. Front features two putti, the title and numbered sections; the back the heads and symbols of gods and goddesses.
Double paper leaf, printed, painted in watercolours and gilt.
The upper edge has a gold binding. Sticks of wood. Guards of wood edged and strengthened with ivory. (15+2). Brass rivet. Ivory arrow attached by a cream silk cord. Front: In the centre two putti hold up a label inscribed 'L'ORACLE'. Below them is a wheel divided into numbered sections (6, 12, 18, 24 arranged concentrically), flanked by sprays of flowers. On the left there a rectangular frame containing five panels headed I-V, each of which has below ten names of gods and goddesses numbered l. - 10. Below there is an oval wreath containing 'QUESTIONS' numbered l.-5. This is repeated on the right with the panels numbered VI-X and questions 6. -10. The edges have gold and red borders of scrolls and flowers. Reverse: Linked by a bound laurel wreath there are ten medallions containing the heads and symbols of gods and goddesses, labeled above JUPITER, JUNON, APOLLON, DIANE, MARS, VENUS, BACHUS (sic), CERES, MERCURE and MINERVE. Below each is a rectangular panel containing two line answers and prognostications in French, numbered 1.-10. Borders of gold, silver and red scrolls and flowers. Sticks: undecorated. Guards: gorge undecorated; above the shoulder edged with ivory; head strengthened with ivory
Notes
History note: Colonel Leonard C. Messel (1872-1953); his daughter Anne, Countess of Rosse (1902-1992)
Legal notes
Purchased with a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and a gift from The Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum
English for the French market. The text was also published in English by Jno Cock, I.P. Crowder & Co., No. 21 Wood Street, Cheapside, London, January 1, 1800.
People, subjects and objects depicted
Components of the work
Cord
composed of
silk
( cream)
Leaf
composed of
paper
( double)
watercolours
gilt
ink
Sticks+guards
composed of
wood
Guards
composed of
ivory
Length 138 mm
Arrow
composed of
ivory
Rivet
composed of
brass (alloy)
References and bibliographic entries
Related exhibitions
Identification numbers
Accession number: M.316-1985
Primary reference Number: 117901
Old catalogue number: DR 14/216
Old object number: 359
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Tuesday 25 February 2020
Last processed: Wednesday 13 December 2023
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
