Shoes as symbols in art (2024)

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Encyclopedia • May 29, 2017 • Author: Elena Nastyuk

The subject of desire

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Pumps, flat shoes, sandals, clogs, jack boots and felt boots aswell. Shoes change the manner ofmovement, body language and self-awareness. They upraise your emotions and physical feelings. Anattentive person can identify the character and financial standing ofhis companion byhis shoes only, currently inparticular byalot ofstyles and models, which are available. Though, some hundred years ago the situation was different. Special regulations strictly prescribed shoes appropriate for different classes ofsociety; their depictions inpainting, onportraits oreveryday scenes contributed additional senses and helped toindividualize the character.

Golden sandals of Aphrodite

Sandals are the oldest shoes. Uptonow this favorite shoe model has taken its place inthe ancient art.

Gustave Flaubert admired the sandals ofthe ancient Greece onthe legs ofthe Apollo Belvedere statue; hehighly appreciated the exquisitely crafted twisted straps demonstrating sculpturesque genius ofGreek masters. What acomposition ofdecoration and nudity! What aharmony ofthe form and content! The feet were created for shoes and the shoes were created for the feet!

The golden sandals ofAphrodite have likely become the first erotic fetish. Numerous replicas ofthe ancient Greek statues ofAphrodite taking off her sandal are the evidence ofthe above.

The most well-known among them isthe Aphrodite, Eros and Pan, c. 100 BC, from Delos. The charming woman tries with asandal tokeep Pan, agoat-legged forest creature, atadistance. Asmall winged flying Eros watches amused the situation (oractually helps Pan toapproach Aphrodite). Aphrodite the goddess oflove seems not tobealways willing for anerotic adventure. When itcomes toher sandals (the goddess isnude), wecan say they are asymbol for femininity.

The other popular subject matter with sandals playing the key role isthe myth about Aphrodite and Hermes who fell inlove with her and was rejected; then heasked help ofZeus his father. The king ofgods sent aneagle tosteal one ofher sandals. Toretrieve it, she was forced tosubmit toHermes.

The barefooted righteous and mailed kights

Put inother words anotorious phrase popular inthe Soviet Union, that sex had never existed there, wecould say that nolegs were painted inthe artworks ofthe Early Christianity. Everything related toflesh was dogmatically rejected and masked infolds ofrobes. So, unlike the gorgeous Byzantine style the medieval shoes had nodecorations, nether embroidery nor ornaments. Dresses were strict and formal and shoes were integral parts ofthem.
When itcomes toreligious subjects all the canonical characters were depicted barefooted like inthe artworks the Creation ofAdam, the Creation ofEve, the Expulsion from the Garden ofParadise and others by Master Bertram ofMinden (1340— 1414).

Atthe same time the warriors ready tofight for the right things were painted along. The important parts ofthe uniform were the appropriate shoes allowing the warrior tomove comfortably and tofight, the shoes allowing reaching out peace. The warriors ofChrist had tobeready tohold their ground.

So, inhis artwork the Knighting ofSt. Martin (1320— 1322) Simone Martini pictured the court everyday life and the scene ofMartin’s investiture: the Roman Emperor fastens the sword around the knight’s waist and attires spurs. Wecould assume that the event was significant. (The artist issupposed tobeknighted bythe King Robert ofAnjou and depicted anactual investiture).

David byDonatello (1430), abronze sculpture, isready topreach peace. The biblical hero David— awinner ofthe giant Goliath, became one ofthe favorite images ofthe Renaissance, apatron ofFlorence. According tothe legend, David refused the armor and weapons and hewent out with his sling and confronted the enemy. The youth iscompletely naked, apart from alaurel-topped hat and boots, bearing the sword ofGoliath.

His boots indicated that hewon Goliath due tothe knowledge imparted him bythe prophet Samuel. Atthe same time the sculptor highlighted the status ofDavid; according tothe old Jewish tradition, only noble people had shoes and wore them outside, poor people were barefooted orhad rough boots made ofleather and wood.

Cozy house and strong marriage

During the Renaissance era inthe XVI century respectable citizens had towear indoor slippers. Inthe memories ofalot ofpeople ofthat time slippers were mentioned asasymbol ofcomfort and fidelity tothe marriage vows.

Inhis artwork the The Arnolfini Portrait (1434), Jan van Eyck depicted apair ofpattens embodying the martial fidelity. The bridegroom isportrayed barefooted standing onthe wooden floor, his wooden pattens are onthe floor next tohim. The legs ofthe bride are covered with her robe, the other pair ofpattens isdepicted onthe background next tothe bed.

For the Jan van Eyck’s peers the taken off shoes pointed tothe Old Testament. During the wedding ceremony the floor ofaroom was like asacred land for abride and abridegroom.

The pair ofclogs pictured inthe artwork the Netherlandish Proverbs (1559) byPieter Bruegel the Elder could beassigned tosymbolic images. The Master was well-known for his interest inthe life ofpeasants. The clogs are obviously waiting for their owner invain.

Glamour in the acqua alta times

One ofthe most contradictory models ofshoes discussed byart experts isthe Venetian chopines (wedge shoes), which you can see inthe painting the Two Venetian ladies byVittore Carpaccio (1460/1465— 1526). Till the present day the question whether the ladies are courtesans ornot isstill under discussion.

Wewish the painted chopins had told uswhat those ladies really were. That time inVenice all the women wore shoes with high soles, the city often experience floods (acqua alta), atthe same time the height ofchopines (upto50 cm) was strictly regulated bythe Law. Movement onsuch stilts was difficult and dangerous especially for pregnant women and the problem ofalow birth rate was urgent. So, the respectful ladies were not dominating tosome extent.

Royal shoes

The centuries revolved, dresses progressively became shorter and shorter and dandies had achance tomake boast ofthe decorations oftheir gorgeous clothes. Weare not going todiscuss changing instyle and shape ofshoes, which were made either longer orshorter. Wecannot but mention heels (the higher the more notable aperson was); Louis XIV, aking ofFrance known asaFrench fashion-monger became atrendsetter.

The Sun King was proud ofhis beautiful legs and his elegant shoes. He, asaking, made adecision that red high heels (decorated with battle pieces) were his own prerogative. Sored heels became asymbol for the royal power.

A token of affection

One could hardly conceive ofacourteous chevalier amorously kissing achopine ofhis ladylove (keeping inmind the size ofthe shoe model). So, inthe XVIII century stunning mule shoes came into fashion from the Oriental countries and only rich people afforded them. They were were usually high heeled, backless and often closed-toe. Noble ladies and dandies wore them indoors and craftsmen made them ofexpensive outlandish materials, decorated them with gold, gems, feathers ofexotic birds, silk embroideries and pieces offur. Those household articles inpaintings demonstrated domesticity and prosperity ofthe pictured family.

When the light-minded rococo came, the cheerful dwellers ofsalons turned their shoes into amust oftheir love affairs. Jean-Honoré Fragonard clearly depicted this trend inhis artwork the Swing, also known asthe Happy Accidents ofthe Swing (its original title). The painting was supposed tobecommissioned byBaron deSaint-Julien (1732— 1806), well-known for his moral liberty. The artist added ashoe thrown upinthe air symbolizing lost ofinnocence tothe dynamic depiction ofthe scene.

The mule shoe inthe painting Olympia (1863) by Édouard Manet implies the same symbolism. The model isnude wearing only amule slipper, which will move tothe graphic artworks by Aubrey Beardsley, who will bring this symbol oferoticism and sexuality toperfection. Inthe earlyXX century only prostitutes wore such mule shoes; norespectable lady dared toput onsuch kind offootwear.

The king is not dead. Long live the king.

Andy Warhol was the only artist who made shoes anindividual subject ofhis art. His own creative approach allowed him toeliminate the long contradiction between the pop culture, art and routine life. His images dictated nothing but his models highlighted the individual features ofeach woman: heels ofnumerous colors, different shapes and materials. That was areal showcase and atriumph ofambitious, free and sexy women.

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