Birds of a feather explores the fascination for birds as a source of decoration and embellishment on fans in many cultures around the world for millennia. Birds are depicted strutting around, caught in mid-air and resting on branches, in charms or in solitude. Familiar birds like swallows and ducks are featured, while hummingbirds and macaws provide glimpses of faraway lands. Serving both functional and decorative purposes, feather fans and those adorned with bird images were popular accessories for balls and other formal events.
Sadly, birds were killed extensively for fashion purposes, especially in the nineteenth century, and with fans depicting a range of use of common and exotic birds as illustrations or their whole bodies and parts, this exhibition aims to discuss the carnage and craftmanship as seen between fashion and birds.
For more information see https://www.thefanmuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/birds-of-a-feather