Shoe 1935 - 1942

Virginia Berge’s, 'Shoe', is an intriguing study of form, meticulously rendered with a combination of delicacy and precision. The immediate impression is one of stillness. Berge captures the shoe’s material presence through subtle gradations of tone and texture. The composition, dominated by the shoe’s silhouette, invites us to consider its structure. The laces, rendered as a series of crosses, provide a vertical counterpoint to the shoe's horizontal extension, creating a tension between support and movement. The muted palette and the careful attention to detail suggest a concern with the object's intrinsic qualities rather than its cultural associations. Consider how the work destabilizes our expectations. Berge challenges conventional notions of artistic value by elevating a mundane object to the status of art. The effect is to draw attention to the often overlooked details of everyday life.