In Renaissance Italy, pearl-encrusted baubles were worn by brides to represent their purity; in Napoleonic France, no item was more coveted than a cashmere paisley shawl, which signified unimaginable wealth. But few historic totems carried as much symbolic weight as the handheld decorative fan. In fact, the ornate, dramatic, and once-ubiquitous item—which just so happens to be the subject of a new exhibition at San Francisco’s de Young Museum—may be one worth resurrecting. Not only are fans beautiful and practical objects to carry on a warm day, they are the means to a secret language that has been largely forgotten with time.
During their heyday, lace, mother-of-pearl, and gold leaf–coated fans surpassed all other accessories in this regard. “Records suggest that as early as the 18th century there was a discussion of these fan languages,” Laura Camerlengo, associate curator of costume and textile arts at the de Young, and organizer of this exhibition, explains. And while Camerlengo notes that the earliest such language was made up of individual letters, she adds that later variations were really “extensions of body language.” The first semiofficial gestural fan language was written by a Spanish man known simply as Fenella. It didn’t take long for Parisian fan-maker Duvelleroy, whose finery-filled shop is still in business, to translate his work into English, and distribute the information on individual cards. The use of this so-called “Secret Language of the Fan” varied from country to country, but today, many of Fenella’s original instructions are still circulated in print.
In other words, you too can easily learn a few new moves for the hot and humid summer that lies ahead—and who knows? The ability to signal “come talk to me” while battling the heat in a sweltering subway car might just come in handy.
Below, a glossary of Duvellory’s most useful and intriguing fan gestures.
“Come talk to me” Carry fan in left hand
“I wish to speak to you” Touch tip of fan with finger
“You have won my love” Hold shut fan to the heart
“Do not betray our secret” Covering left ear with open fan
“Follow me” Carry fan in right hand in front of face
“We are being watched” Twirl fan in left hand
“I am married” Fan slowly
“I am engaged” Fan quickly
“I am sorry” Draw fan across eye
“You have changed” Draw fan across forehead
“I hate you” Draw fan through hand
“Do you love me?” Present fan shut
“I love you” Draw fan across cheek
“I love another” Twirl fan in right hand
“You are cruel” Open and shut fan
“Yes” Rest fan on right cheek
“No” Rest fan on left cheek
“Kiss me” Hold fan handle to lips
Fans of the 18th Century is on view at the de Young Museum through April 28, 2019. It is a complement to Casanova: The Seduction of Europe at the Legion of Honor. Above, seven fans of various media included in the de Young Museum’ s current exhibition.