Fan

Designer Paul Poiret French
Design House Les Parfums de Rosine French
1911
Not on view
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.
In 1911 Paul Poiret expanded his fashion business to include two additional houses: Parfums de Rosine, dedicated to fragrances, and Atelier Martine, a school and showroom for the decorative arts. Through these interconnected endeavors, the designer promoted a harmonious vision of lifestyle, not unlike the Wiener Werkstätte’s conception of the Gesamtkunstwerk, or total work of art.

Georges Lepape’s illustration for this paper hand fan demonstrates a savvy union of marketing interests. Though the clothing and interior depicted on the front are products of Poiret’s fashion and furnishing lines, the back advertises a range of Rosine fragrances that were introduced between 1911 and 1919. A small sticker identifies “Mea Culpa” as the scent chosen to perfume this promotional item.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Fan
  • Designer: Paul Poiret (French, Paris 1879–1944 Paris)
  • Design House: Les Parfums de Rosine (French, founded 1911)
  • Artist: Georges Lepape (French, Paris 1887–1971 Bonneval)
  • Date: 1911
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: paper, wood
  • Credit Line: Promised Gift of Sandy Schreier
  • Object Number: L.2018.61.18
  • Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute