German, Bayreuth
Folding Fan: Bayreuth Opera House, 1892
Print on paper with enameled wood ribs , 34.3 x 62.9 x 3.2 cm (13 1/2 x 24 3/4 x 1 1/4 in.)
General admission for children 17 years and under is always free
This paper folding fan was produced by the Bayreuth Opera House in Germany in 1892, probably as a tourist souvenir. The ribs of the fan are enameled wood. The paper is discolored yellow from age. It is printed with a variety of sepia colored scenes: part of the score for the opera Parsifal, a profile photo of a man, the city of Bayreuth, architectural views of the Wagner Theater, Wahnfried house, and other local attractions. The images are linked with botanical sprigs and a central ribbon with Bayreuth written across it. The reverse side is plain paper but it has been signed and dated by twenty performers at the Bayreuth Opera House in ink and pencil.
Vatichino
Commentary
During Isabella’s lifetime, German composer Richard Wagner was at the epicenter of the classical music world. Isabella admired Wagner’s work and went to great lengths to see his performances. She traveled many times to Bayreuth, where Wagner hosted an annual music festival. While there she collected mementos, including this beautiful folding fan. It’s covered with iconic images of a Parsifal score, Wagner himself, his house, and his opera house.