Brogans 1851 - 1875

Editor: This photograph titled "Brogans", taken sometime between 1851 and 1875 and currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, captures a single leather shoe. It has this simple, utilitarian feel to it. What story do you think it tells? Curator: That's a good question. We're seeing more and more photography enter museum collections. At first glance, it's easy to dismiss it as simply a photograph of footwear, but its inclusion in the Met signals a deeper cultural value. Consider the rise of industrial photography at this time, meant to document and catalogue the changing landscape of manufacturing. Do you think that could be one reason the Met might have it? Editor: It’s interesting to consider it as part of industrial photography, as the footwear documents this sort of everyday labor…so it makes me wonder what kind of person wore these shoes, and what does their occupation suggest about their status during the industrial revolution? Curator: Exactly. And think about how these images circulate. It wasn't simply about documenting; these images, appearing in catalogs and advertisements, shaped consumer culture and perceptions of value. Consider how they portray or don't portray the individual and how the politics of imagery influences labor. What does showcasing worn shoes suggest about their audience? Editor: I suppose it gives insight to their target market -- people doing a specific kind of manual labor. So placing this next to paintings of like, lords and ladies is definitely a choice. Curator: Precisely! This image in a museum space transforms the perception of value in such labor by displaying work-worn ‘Brogans,’ raising crucial questions about representation. Thanks for helping me look at the image from this angle. Editor: Thank you, I definitely look at photography, and especially historical photography, very differently.