Art, literature & historyFan Handle
1886/88
- Dating
- Date range
- Held at
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Medium
- Charcoal and graphite on ivory wove paper
- Dimensions
- 22.7 × 16.8 cm (8 15/16 × 6 5/8 in.)
- Collection no.
- 2012.1139
- Attribution
- By the artist
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
About this artwork
Fan Handle — James Ensor. 1886/88.
Medium: Charcoal and graphite on ivory wove paper. Dimensions: 22.7 × 16.8 cm (8 15/16 × 6 5/8 in.).
Collection record: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.
Unlike Ensor’s enormous 51-panel Temptation of Saint Anthony of 1887, in the Art Institute’s collection—which includes depictions of grotesque creatures—this drawing focuses on the detail of an ornate fan handle. Yet, despite the differences in subject matter, both works underscore the artist’s emphasis on integrating minute details into his complex pictures.
Description: © Art Institute of Chicago, original record, CC BY 4.0. HTML formatting removed; wording retained. Other artwork metadata: CC0.
Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.
Location checked Sep 10, 2026. This does not indicate whether the work is on display.