Unfolding Picture: The Marriage Contract Fan, 1760-1770



The Marriage Contract Fan
1760-1770
Possibly from the Netherlands
Victoria & Albert Museum

 Possibly made in the Netherlands (though some feel it was made in Britain), this fan of gouache on vellum, with carved and pierced ivory sticks, and tortoiseshell guards inlaid with gold depicts a domestic scene. The fan leaf illustrates the signing of a marriage contract.


In this intimate scene, a young couple holds hands (quite self-consciously) as they stand in front of two lawyers seated at a table. Their marriage documents sit on the table in front of them. Behind the bride and groom, a group of witnesses have gathered—they are shown in the process of whispering and chatting animatedly.

The impending wedding feast is evident by the flagons of wine and ale barrels in the background. A commonplace occurrence in the events of Eighteenth Century life, it’s an unusual scene for a fan. The legal arrangements involved in marriage were of the utmost importance, especially to members of the upper class. The combination of emotion and legality depicted here makes for an attractive fan, but also gives us a glimpse into the lives of people in the Eighteenth Century.