Antique Grand Tour fan
Description:
We are in the 18th century and Italy was the main destination of the Grand Tour of the high class tourist from the North Europe searching for monuments and history. They were buying souvenirs remembering what they have seen around. This magnificent antique fan was done for those tourists. It was lovely and detailed decorated with high quality miniatures representing : on the left the Temple of Serapide in Pozzuoli; in the center the Vesuvius erupting and on the right the Temple of Poseidon in Paestum. Please look the quality of the details of the monuments and of the landscapes. All around are very fine decorations of flowers and leaves. On the back a "Mascherone" between"festoni" and grottesco motifs. All is painted on a chicken-skin mount. The stiks are in bone carved and gilded. From Naples. Second half of the 18th century. Few restaurations.