Hand fans in Andalusia are more than a mere summer accessory. Naturally, they are very useful allies during the summer season, when temperatures rise in southern Spain. However, they are also a highly traditional and characteristic item of the region. In some cases, they are authentic works of art. For this reason, we have dedicated a post to them, which will help you learn many things about them and, perhaps, encourage you to buy one as an original souvenir or even as a collector’s item.
Historical Brushstrokes on the Hand Fan in Spain
Paradoxically, and despite the fact that fans are often associated with Spain and Andalusia, their origin is very distant: in China or Japan, where fixed models may have first been used. There are also references to them in Ancient Egypt, as well as in Rome and other civilizations.
Regarding the folding fan, its origin also seems to lie in the Far East. It may have been during the Early Modern period, with the improvement of trade flows, that its use began among European aristocrats. Catherine de’ Medici, an enigmatic Lady with a Fan in a painting by Velázquez, Queen Maria Luisa of Parma with a mantilla in portraits by Goya… It is no coincidence that in Spain, the Bourbon dynasty founded the Royal Fan Factory in Valencia.
From the 19th century onwards, its use spread to humbler layers of society and another natural symbiosis arrived: that of the fan and flamenco, as it became an indispensable and highly expressive accessory for dancers. Today, it is a ‘portable air conditioner’ that is still used to generate a pleasant breeze on the face during hot days.
Handmade Works of Art
One of the aspects that make fans in Andalusia so special is the art associated with them. There are still many artisans who continue to perform the entire process by hand, meticulously working on each part, such as the sticks, the border, the guard sticks (the first and last sticks, highly refined and personalized in luxury models), and the leaf, which is the piece of fabric, silk, gauze, or paper that unfolds when opened.
On the leaf, artists apply all their talent to hand-paint any type of design, which may refer to the city in question, popular scenes, geometric motifs, or even compositions upon request. In fact, it is known that many artists worked on this medium in the past but preferred not to sign it. Today, the most prominent creators do usually sign their works.
Where to Find Hand Fans in Andalusia
You will not find it difficult to find fans in Andalusia: they are such a Spanish item that you will see them displayed in numerous shops. However, it is undoubtedly in summer when you will find the greatest variety. In any case, if you are looking for a truly artistic and luxurious specimen, you should visit historic shops where the same production techniques that avoid industrial and mass production are still used today.
Without wishing to detract from any artisan fan maker, it can be said that in the city of Seville there are some of the most prominent workshops. Some of them are Airearte or Juan Foronda (where they also have a rich collection of shawls, mantillas, and other handcrafted pieces). In the city of Córdoba, popular art is also felt in the atmosphere, perhaps highlighting the workshop of Disimusa: here, Mari Carmen Pintado goes beyond classic designs and surprises with scenes full of wit on the leaf, which also ceases to be strictly semicircular to adopt other imaginative shapes. This is a sign that these fans are well-suited to be mounted on a wall and become artistic pieces of interior decoration.
