The Fine Arts Museums are home to a remarkable collection of fans, which total nearly four hundred examples spanning four centuries and four continents. The collection began with the inception of the Museums, with the first fans joining the de Young’s holdings in 1895. The collection is especially strong in eighteenth-century European examples, coinciding with the peak production and use of fans on that continent. During this time, fans not only fulfilled the need for aeration but also were much desired as fashion accessories. They served as commemoratives of special events, as implements for parlor games and political propaganda, and as useful memory aids and social tools, allowing for nonverbal communication, as perhaps intended for this mask fan. Mask fans are designed with large oval faces in the center, with small cutouts for the eyes of their wearers. While masquerades were a widespread form of entertainment in eighteenth century Europe, in Spain the penchant for mask fans coincided with the adoption of veils, mantillas, masks, and spectacles. These accessories allowed wearers to cover or expose their faces as they wished, to coquettishly draw attention, or to create anonymity. As rare survivors from the period, seven mask fans with printed fan leaves (less costly to produce) are known, as well as a handful with more precious painted leaves, such as this example. llc