Fan
Anonymous (French), ca. 1794, Ivory and printed paper, Private collection
With the collapse of John Law’s “System,” France abolished its bank and demonetized its currency. Not until the French Revolution did the state revive the use of banknotes, which were printed on a large scale by the new Republican government. These paper bills, or assignats, initially stimulated the economy, though their value, too, eventually collapsed. In the early 1790s, French designers created ladies’ fans decorated with trompe l’oeil assignats, and Republican women likely carried them to showcase their patriotism. At the same time, given the longstanding mistrust in banknotes, the function of handheld fans (to generate air or wind), combined with the illusory technique of trompe l’oeil, may have signaled for others the flimsiness or false promise of paper money.
The New York Public Library believes that this item is in the public domain under the laws of the United States, but did not make a determination as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. This item may not be in the public domain under the laws of other countries.
