Schoenmaker in zijn werkplaats 1686 - 1696

Pieter van den Berge created this print, “Shoemaker in his Workshop,” in the late 17th or early 18th century, capturing a scene dominated by the tools and products of the shoemaking trade. Shoes, boots, and lasts hang around the artisan, symbols of craft and labor, yet there's a deeper symbolism at play here. Consider the shoe itself. Throughout history, shoes have been more than mere protection for the feet. In ancient cultures, they symbolized status and authority. Remember the elevated sandals of Roman emperors, or the elaborate footwear of Renaissance nobles. Here, the shoemaker is framed among his creations, but his posture suggests weariness. He is not marching forward but is still. The act of making, mending, and wearing shoes has a connection to journey and experience. It evokes powerful, almost subconscious emotions of labor, the passage of time, and the human experience. The symbols surrounding the shoemaker tell of the cyclical, repetitive nature of life and its persistence through generations.