ABRAHAM SOLOMON (BRITISH, 1824-1862)

When the painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy it was accompanied with a quote from an issue of Spectator: "Mr Spectator, - Women are armed with fans as men with swords, and sometimes do more execution with them. To the end, therefore, that ladies may be entire mistresses of the weapon they bear, I have erected an academy for the training up of young women in the exercise of the fan, according to the most fashionable airs and motions that are now practised at court." - Spectator, No. 102.