Lady with the Fan

Painting Description: "Lady with the Fan" by Valeria Notarnicola

Medium: Acrylic and lacquer on canvas
Dimensions: 80 × 60 cm
Date: May 2025
Style: In the tradition of Gustav Klimt

In Fan Dancer, Valeria Notarnicola blends the opulence of Gustav Klimt’s ornamentation with vivid mythological undertones, creating a visual narrative that is both theatrical and timeless. The central figure—a serene woman with a poised, almost ceremonial stance—emerges from a vibrant tapestry of flora, feathers, and color. Her raised fan, a motif of concealment and revelation, becomes a symbolic gateway to deeper meaning.

Rendered in a radiant palette of saffron yellow, emerald green, fiery orange, and deep blue, the work echoes the grandeur of Klimt’s decorative style while invoking the mythic role of the feminine as guardian, muse, and transformer. Her garment, flowing with stylized waves and intricate patterns, becomes less an article of clothing and more a robe of story—a cloak woven from elemental forces.  These motifs echo the Japonisme and Orientalist influences .

Surrounding her are a host of mythological birds—phoenixes, cranes, and imagined hybrids—each drawn with symbolic care. These creatures, often seen in folklore as emissaries between worlds, suggest renewal, wisdom, and transcendence. Their dynamic forms appear mid-flight or in gentle repose, transforming the background into a dreamlike realm of fertility and cosmic rhythm.

The figure’s calm expression and upright posture convey a timeless strength, placing her among a lineage of mythic heroines and celestial guardians. The lacquered surface heightens the painting’s jewel-like glow, adding a spiritual luster that invites quiet contemplation.

Interpretation

Lady with the Fan unfolds like a myth told in gold and color—a celebration of the sacred feminine as both vessel and storyteller. Through Klimtian ornamentation and references to global mythologies, Notarnicola constructs a visual mythos that transcends culture and time. The painting becomes a modern icon—poised between the decorative and the divine, between earthly beauty and mythical resonance.