Vouwwaaier, bestaande uit een enkel blad van dun leer waarop met gouache een Godenmaaltijd (?) omgeven door een rand met rode, blauwe en gouden chinoiseriemotiefjes, op een montuur van ivoor ajour en in reliëf gesneden c. 1740 - 1750

This fan, with its painted leaf and ivory frame, depicts what appears to be a feast of the gods. The scene presents a classical banquet, a recurring motif throughout art history. Such images often serve as allegories for harmony, abundance, and divine communion. We see echoes of this symbol in Renaissance paintings, where similar gatherings represented intellectual and artistic ideals. Yet, it appears earlier still in Roman frescoes. Consider the Last Supper, a variation on this motif, where the shared meal becomes a moment of profound spiritual significance. There is a visual echo of the symposium—a setting for philosophical discussions among the elite, in a highly charged emotional atmosphere. The persistence of this theme, from antiquity through the ages, suggests a deep-seated human desire for unity and connection. This fan is not merely an object of adornment. It invites us to reflect on the enduring power of symbols and the invisible threads that connect us to the past.