Each Mandarin Oriental hotel has its own fan, a profoundly meaningful symbol of the Group’s oriental culture which also links each property to the distinctive fan logo. Deeply Asian and inherently elegant, each of these fans is unique and chosen to reflect the individuality of each hotel.

For its hotel in Prague, the Group was keen to find a fan of historical significance which would not only highlight the Golden City as a destination but also its history and rich diverse culture. After searching through countless museums and meeting with curators, it became clear that, as just as Mandarin Oriental, Prague would be unique in the city, combining local character with the Group’s distinct Oriental heritage, an originally designed fan was essential.

The design and creation of the hotel’s fan was entrusted to Mrs Jarmila Mucha Plocková, the granddaughter of the late and much celebrated artist Alfons Mucha who has the sole rights to reproduce the artist’s famous designs. Mrs Plocková is a graduate of the School of Architecture, Academy of Visual Arts in Prague; she also studied painting at the Masana School of Art in Barcelona for two years.

Mandarin Oriental, Prague’s signature fan was inspired by the frescoes on the walls of Prague’s superb Art Nouveau building, Obecní dům (Municipal House), as well as the sumptuous fabrics in its Mayor’s Lounge. The peacock taken from the Mucha-designed rich fabric curtains is the predominant feature on this hand-painted fan. The peacock is also especially meaningful in Asian culture, being a sacred bird in both China and Japan. In Feng Shui philosophy the peacock symbolises beauty, loyalty and empathy as well as the need to take pleasure in the finer things in life – a fitting image for Mandarin Oriental, Prague.

The deep green and blue colours invoke the Vltava River and the woodlands surrounding the city, while the rose and white bring light and contrast, and gold leaf adds richness to the composition. Hand-painted on special rice paper, the fan is displayed in the hotel’s lobby. Its image, a testimony to traditional Slavic design, has travelled the world, reproduced in most of the printed and promotional materials used by the hotel.