The Crowning of the Rose Queen: A Late 18th Century French Fan, with ivory sticks and guards, the gorge with a variety of roundels, gilded and silvered, the guards with fine carving depicting a cherub on a pedestal, a man kneeling beneath. The double silk leaf portrays a procession through the village of the young lady who is to be crowned the Rose Queen, named by the clergy and officials as being the most deserving and most virtuous. This depiction shows a musician beating a drum to announce her arrival, dressed in white, at the sumptuous throne, draped in red, her crown, a flower garland, waiting above to the left, guarded by a man in uniform. A small banner at the back of the procession proclaims "Le Prix de Virtu" (the prize for the most virtuous). This relates to an old French custom instituted by Saint Médard in the 6th century. By the end of the 18th century the custom had spread throughout France. In 1774 a Pastoral Comedy was composed by A Giétry, entitled "La Rosière de Salency". Each side of the central vignette, itself bordered with gold sequins, is a smaller vignette with matching border, one with a young man, one with a young woman, both holding flower garlands. The verso has a simple flower spray, and the gorge sticks are flat. Guard length 28cm
See "Éventails Européens" by Maryse Volet page 36 number 22 for more information and another example.