The West's earliest fan is a flabellum (or ceremonial fan), which dates to the sixth century. In Europe, during the Middle Ages, the fan was absent but hand fans were reintroduced to Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries. when fans from the Middle East were brought back by crusaders. In the 15th century, Portuguese traders brought fans to Europe from China and Japan and, in the 1600s, the folding fan, introduced from China and Japan, became popular In Europe.
In the 17th and and 18th centuries, fans reached a high degree of artistry and were being made throughout Europe. Folded fans of lace, silk, or parchment were decorated and painted by artists and fans were imported from China by the East India Companies at this time, also.
By the end of the 18th century, with the cheaper printed ones in production, fans were available to every strata of society in Europe and related to an endless variety of subjects-from Nelson's Victory of the Nile to instructions on "How to play Whist, and not lose your temper
