It’s been a monumental year for the British Monarchy. Last autumn, we bid farewell to the late Queen Elizabeth II, and this spring, King Charles III will officially be crowned on May 6.
In recognition of these seismic events, Greenwich’s Fan Museum has curated an exhibition, Coronations and Celebrations, featuring centuries of royal fans from across the continent. There are over 60 fans on show in total, including an English fan marking the restoration of the last King Charles almost 400 years ago.
The Weekender spoke to Ailsa Hendry, Curator at the Fan Museum, to find out more…
Holly O’Mahony (HOM): Tell us about your role as curator of the Fan Museum. What does it entail?
Ailsa Hendry (AH): My job is to support the director with exhibitions, care for the collections, give talks and tours, oversee the photography, and also help out with social media and marketing. I started at The Fan Museum over a year ago as the Curatorial Assistant. Before coming to The Fan Museum I didn’t know much about fans, but I’m very quickly learning under the expertise of Mrs. Hélène Alexander, the Museum’s Founder and Director.
HOM: Your current exhibition, Coronations and Celebrations, is a nod to the upcoming coronation of King Charles. Can you tell us a bit more about the inspiration behind the exhibition?
AH: The inspiration was of course the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla. We wished to display fans which commemorate coronations and other significant royal events in the European royal families across Europe to reflect on the fact coronations have been memorialised on fans throughout history.
HOM: Is there a fan you’re especially excited to be showing as part of the exhibition?
AH: We have a very special fan in the exhibition from the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. The fan is printed with the words ‘the Hapy Restoration’ (spelled hapy, rather than happy) to commemorate the restoration of Charles II to the throne in the 1660s and is an early example of an English printed fan.
HOM: What other highlights can visitors see as part of the exhibition? Are there any objects beyond fans?
AH: We have a fan from Princess Stephanie of Belgium which was given to her in 1881 by her aunt and uncle to commemorate her marriage to Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. It features a wonderful painted leaf from Cesare Dell’Acqua. We do have one object which is not a fan, a coronation robe from Lady Latymer which she wore to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.
HOM: How big is the exhibition as a whole? And how is it organised?
AH: The exhibition comprises 67 fans across two rooms. The fans in the first room span English designs from the time of Charles II right the way through to commemorative fans for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. There are also two cases of Spanish fans depicting royalty including a couple from the marriage of Isabella II. In the second room we have royal fans from France and other European countries.
HOM: Ultimately, what do you hope visitors take away from seeing the exhibition?
AH: We wish for visitors to be able to see the wide range of fans that have been produced with images of royalty throughout the ages. We hope the exhibition shows the similarities and differences in the way fans have commemorated or been made for royalty.
The Fan Museum, 12 Crooms Hill, London SE10 8ER.
Until June 24, 11am – 5pm, Wednesday – Saturday.
Admission: £5/£3 children.
www.thefanmuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/coronations-celebrations
