Silk paddle shaped fans embroidered gentlewoman and peony

Great fun to paint! 5mm White Silk Habotai Palace Fans with natural bamboo handle. 2 shapes -9" Round or 8" not Round.

The consort of the emperor Ch'eng of the Han dynasty in 33 BC wrote lyrics on fans. By the Sung dynasty (960-1279 AD) painted circular fans became popular in Court circles and court artists, including emperors are recorded as having these type of fans and they became known as 'palace fans'. These fans were so treasured for the art works that many were immediately dismounted from their frames and mounted as album leaves, a practice which has fortunately preserved many of them to our time. Extremely simple and absolutely beautiful.