FAN OF GOLD
(Forming portion of the Burmese Regalia. India Museum.) The lateral form, in which the leaf is set sidewise on the stem, follows the same principle of decorative development. It is used plain, painted, inlaid with talc as in the example illustrated, is embroidered with silk, spangles, beetles’ wings, etc.; it also supplies the shape or decorative motif for fans of a different material, as in the instance of the four long-handled fans, forming portion of the Burmese regalia, obtained from Mandalay in 1885, examples of a barbaric splendour only to be found in the gorgeous East. These are of gold, jewelled with rubies and the ‘nan-ratan’ or nine stone, the handles overlaid with gold and also jewelled.
Amongst fans formed of the more precious materials is a disc-shaped fan of gold, set with cabochon sapphires, an offering dedicated by Kīrti Ṡri to the ‘Tooth relic.’[34] Figured in Mediæval Sinhalese Art, A. K. Coomaraswarmy.
In the collection of the Baroness Salomon de Rothschild at Paris is a fan of jade, richly studded with jewels.
Fans are also made of the sweet-scented Khaskhás root (Andropogon muricatus), and as these are generally used after being wetted, they impart to the air a cool fragrance; they are often highly ornamented with gold and silver spangles, gold thread, tinsel, beetles’ wings, etc., and occasionally provided with ivory handles. A pretty example occurs at Kew, where there is an excellent collection of fans made of the various vegetable substances. Fans of talc, decorated with exquisite illumination, were made at Tanjore during the eighteenth century. Specimens occur in the India Museum, South Kensington.
PORTION OF AN EMBROIDERED MUSLIN NAPKIN.
(Chamba. Nineteenth century.)
Representations of the fan are of constant occurrence in Indian work, both illumination, embroidery, sculpture, and other material. On a curiously primitive embroidered napkin from Chamba, we are introduced to the worship of a Hindu deity—a king and queen are kneeling under a palm-tree, the god Ganesh in the distance with flag-fan; an attendant bears the peacock feather emblem of royalty, a second attendant waves a large heart-shaped fan. On a small mat or pad of enamelled leather (Hyderabad, nineteenth century), we see a whimsical combination of Krishna and his damsels forming the similitude of an elephant, the umbrella, pankhá, and two fly-flappers being in evidence.
A beautiful illumination from a MS. copy of the Akbar-Namah, above quoted, shows a prince seated upon his throne in the act of receiving offerings; an attendant waves a fly-flap behind the throne, a second attendant bears one of the large pankhás beautifully embroidered in gold and colours.