Defining
Femininity through Magnificent Shoes
The Charm of Rococo at the Bata Shoe Museum
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Pink silk shoes,
English, c.1735-1750
The addition of frills was a defining feature of
Rococo fashions and many evening shoes were adorned
with lace, ruching, and bows in addition to the
glittering buckles that secured them to the foot. A
common trimming for footwear was fine silver bobbin
lace delicately crafted out of precious metal wire.
The pink silk of these shoes is simply the
background against which the lavish silver bobbin
lace was meant to shimmer.
Owner:
The Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto
Photo
Credit: (c) Bata Shoe Museum,
Toronto. Photo: Hal Roth |
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The Bata
Shoe Museum
is pleased to present The Charm of Rococo:
Femininity and Footwear in the 18th Century,
a lavish exhibition featuring some of the
Museum’s most magnificent shoes from the age of
Louis XV.
Emanating from the French Court, the Rococo
aesthetic infused a sensuous charm and delicate
grace into 18th century fashion. It also defined
femininity in new ways. Upper-class women’s
footwear reflected this trend through the use of
exquisite silks, elegant heels and curvilinear
rhinestone buckles which framed the foot with
eye-catching sparkle.
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Spitalfields silk shoes,
French, c.1760.
The American colonies were an eager market for
English luxury goods in the 18th century and
manufacturing centres, such as Spitalfield’s,
flourished meeting this demand. Many of the fine
textiles used to create women’s footwear in the
18th century were dress remnants. The design of
blue stripes and delicate floral sprigs on this
pair of Spitalfield’s silk shoes reflect the
full flowering of Rococo style.
Owner:
The Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto
Photo
Credit: (c) Bata Shoe Museum,
Toronto. Photo: Hal Roth |
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“The connections between femininity and footwear established
in the 18th century continue to inform the cultural meanings
of women’s footwear today,” said Elizabeth Semmelhack,
Curator of The Charm of Rococo. “Because of these
connections, we are able to immediately appreciate these
marvelous shoes despite 300 years of history separating us.”
As visitors enter the exhibition, they are immediately
transported into a world of elegant opulence. Flickering
candlelight chandeliers show off portraits, including one of
Madame de Pompadour, who epitomized Rococo elegance in the
18th century. In the centre of the room, artifacts are
showcased which highlight the variety, remarkable quality,
exquisite craftsmanship and eclectic imagination of the
period. |
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Embroidered black silk shoes, English, 1780-85
High heels reached their ascendancy in the 1770s
and 80s. They also became more delicate in
design and there was a preference for them to be
set quite far back, directly under the heel.
This style resulted in weakness under the
instep. In order to compensate for this, many
shoemakers employed wedge-like structures to
help support the shank. This beautiful pair of
embroidered black silk shoes with pink silk
covered heels is a very good example of this.
English, 1780-1785.
Owner:
The Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto
Photo
Credit: (c) Bata Shoe Museum,
Toronto. Photo: Hal Roth |
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Visitors will leave the exhibition with an increased
understanding of the cultural, political and historical
currents in the 18th century which informed the meaning of
femininity, which in turn impacted women’s footwear: the
emergence of the English silk industry; the new market
represented by the American colonies; the shift from the
grandeur of the Baroque court spectacle to an appreciation
for intimate gatherings and the celebration of affection;
the beginnings of Neo-Classical restraint; the increase in
social unrest portending the French Revolution; and the
change to Rousseauian ideals of motherhood and female
domesticity embraced by the emergent bourgeoisie as the 18th
century drew to a close.
The
Charm of Rococo: Femininity and Footwear in the 18th Century
will be on view until February 2008. |
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Mules, French or Dutch, c.
1720-30
Mules made of luxurious fabrics and embellished
with elaborate embroidery in precious metal or
silk threads were clearly impractical for
outdoor wear, thus emphasizing the wearer’s
leisured lifestyle. They also suggested a kind
of relaxed elegance and intimate dishabille.
Eighteenth century paintings often feature women
wearing mules among close friends or in the
privacy of their own boudoir.
Owner:
The Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto
Photo
Credit: (c) Bata Shoe Museum,
Toronto. Photo: Hal Roth |
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About the
Bata Shoe
Museum :
The
Bata
Shoe Museum
is a centre of knowledge about the role of footwear in the
social and cultural life of humanity. The Museum's growing
international collection of over 12,000 objects touches on
4,500 years of history. A varied program of events and
exhibitions lets visitors discover the stories behind
footwear from many lands and cultures. Current exhibitions
include: Watched by Heaven, Tied to Earth: Summoning
Animal Protection for Chinese Children, The Charm of Rococo:
Femininity and Footwear in the 18th Century, All About
Shoes: Footwear Through the Ages (semi-permanent) and
Chronicles of Riches: Treasures from the
Bata Shoe
Museum. Online exhibitions include All About Shoes
and On Canadian Ground: Stories of Footwear in Early
Canada.
The Bata
Shoe Museum is located in downtown Toronto at the southwest
corner of Bloor and St. George Streets. For more information
about the Museum, please visit
www.batashoemuseum.ca. |
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