Musée d'Orsay Receives Major Donation of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Painted Fans

The Musée d'Orsay in Paris has received a significant donation of seventeen painted fans created by prominent Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. This collection, gifted by a Hong Kong-based donor who holds French and British citizenship, includes works by Camille Pissarro, Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, among others. The donation coincides with the museum's 40th anniversary celebrations. The fans will be displayed for three months starting March 24, 2026, in the gallery dedicated to Manet, Cézanne, and Sisley, with the limited exhibition period due to the delicate nature of the objects. Museum curators Anne Robbins and Caroline Corbeau-Parsons facilitated the acquisition by persuading the collector to make this generous contribution. The donor described developing a passion for fans after purchasing an ivory Cantonese fan years ago, which inspired her to assemble a diverse international collection. This acquisition represents an unusual and aesthetically valuable addition to the museum's holdings, highlighting a lesser-known artistic medium employed by major late-19th-century painters. The donation was arranged discreetly before being publicly announced.