Schoen van zwart satijn met 'pompadour' hak c. 1915 - 1920

Curator: What an image! So simple, yet so evocative. These black satin shoes, photographed circa 1915 to 1920 by Firma E. Franken... they whisper stories. Editor: Yes, a certain melancholy clings to them, doesn't it? They feel poised, almost anticipating a dance that never happens. The lighting really emphasizes the sheen of the satin. Curator: Precisely. And that sheen speaks to the cultural moment. Just after the Edwardian era, but before the full-blown exuberance of the Roaring Twenties. Think about the political climate, the lingering impact of the First World War on the economy, the restrictions and anxieties. Editor: The 'pompadour' heel—what a statement in restraint. There's still an aspiration to elegance and a nod to earlier fashion, yet they also hint at a quiet rebellion against ostentation, in keeping with the rise of practical aesthetics. These are not decadent shoes, but subtly transformative ones. Curator: Agreed. And I wonder about the intended audience for the print itself. Was it displayed in the shop window, offering a taste of affordable luxury to the aspirational working class? The black satin would signify wealth but not as exuberantly as silk. Editor: It certainly democratizes access to desire. Black was a color newly in vogue, made acceptable by Queen Victoria's mourning. It suggests a somber elegance, and this image taps into emerging sensibilities about class and gender. They invite an intimacy between object and the potential consumer, making visible new class aspirations in the wake of war. Curator: And notice the composition; the diagonal placement offers a sense of movement and sophistication. There is no elaborate mise-en-scène: these are simply shoes, but artfully placed for the observer to covet. Editor: Looking at them, I consider how photography changed not just marketing, but our entire relationship to consumer goods—objectification takes on new meaning with each potential viewer’s interaction. The sheen is so artfully captured as well. It must have looked incredibly alluring in person! Curator: Ultimately, this image reflects a specific juncture in time – one defined by a reshaping of norms. A fascinating commentary on the changing roles and expectations for those who would wear such shoes. Editor: Definitely, it also underscores the complex relationship between consumer culture, social change, and the persistent pursuit of individual expression through style, however quietly demonstrated by a beautiful pair of black satin shoes.