French
Fan: Merci, late 19th century
Ink and paint on paper and wood with ribbons, 21.5 x 12.7 cm (8 7/16 x 5 in.)
This French paper fan is on a thin wooden stick handle and is decorated with a smiling cherub and the autograph of Sarah Bernhardt, a famous actress. The fan is circular, with slight symmetrical curves, and the large central cherub holds up a banner with “MERCI” printed in large black, capital letters. The cherub faces us and smiles with rosy cheeks and dark eyes, short, curly, yellowed hair, and greenish-blue and black wings. The banner and the cherub’s body, which turns slightly to our right, are rendered in black outline, and remnants of black shading and color remain. Along the right edge is Sarah Bernhardt's autograph.
Long Gallery
Commentary
This autographed fan came to Isabella Stewart Gardner through her friend Sarah Bernhardt, one of the most famous actors of their era. Gardner cultivated relationships with many celebrated performers and collected mementoes of her friendships with them. Bernhardt and Gardner maintained a friendly correspondence over the years, which the latter saved for display in her museum.