Apelles and Campaspe: A Mid-18th Century Ivory Fan, painted in light mustard and green with touches of gold. The monture is carved and pierced, quite classically for the guards, with a cherub, the gorge with one sweeping pierced vignette with undulating border, central to which is a pair of unusual Oriental figures with tall pointed hats, their long robes with sleeves very much in the medieval style, each wielding pointed staffs. Other carved figures can be found amongst the extravagant foliage and several pagodas are to be found towards the top edge. The double paper leaf is in vibrant blue, the setting inside a finely and sumptuously furnished throne room belonging to Alexander, his concubine Campaspe seated on a raised dais, Alexander close on her left, the painter Apelles dressed in a blue artist's overall, leaning in to regard his subject before applying final touches to her portrait, on an easel to his right. The room is full of observers, being some of Alexander's soldiers and a small boy and older lady in blue, both seated with their own paintbrushes poised. Alexander was said to be so delighted with the portrait that, on seeing that Apelles had fallen in love with Campaspe, he presented her to him. The verso is painted with a landscape with a soldier in plumed helmet being regarded in a coquettish fashion by a young lady seated on a sumptuous high button-backed indoor chair. A maidservant approaches with refreshments.