In
the past, hand fans were used not only as cooling instruments, but also as
convenient communication devices, mainly for transmitting more or less
furtive love messages.
A language of the fan, which is today completely forgotten, was widely
used. For your amusement we have recovered a set of messages pertaining
to this language, which we include here:
The lady shows up briefly at the
balcony, slowly fanning herself, and returns inside, shutting the balcony:
"I can’t go out"
If she appears briefly at the
balcony, excitedly fanning herself, and quickly goes inside, leaving the
balcony open:
"I’ll
go out soon"
Resting the fan on her
lips: "I don’t trust
you"
Fanning herself with her left
hand: "Don’t
flirt with that woman"
Running her fingers through the fan’s
ribs: "I
want to talk to you"
Slowly fanning herself : "Don’t waste your time,
I don’t care about you"
Quickly fanning herself : "I love you so much"
Moving her hair away from her
forehead. "Don’t
forget me"
Passing the fan from
hand to hand: "I see that you are looking at another woman"
Hitting her hand’s
palm: "Love
me"
Carrying the fan closed and hanging from her left
hand: "I’m
engaged"
Carrying the fan closed and hanging from her right hand: "I
want to be engaged"
Quickly and impetuously closing the fan: "I’m
jealous"
Dropping the fan: "I belong to you"
Resting the fan on her
heart: "My love for you is breaking my heart"
Half-opening the fan over her face: "We are being
watched over"
Hitting any object: "I’m impatient"
Hiding the sunlight: "You’re ugly"
Looking closely at the painting: "I like you"
Image on top of
page: The Lady with the Veil (Portrait of the Artist's wife) (1768). Painting by
Alexander Roslin (1718 - 1793). Oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm.
National
Museum, Stockholm.
