Shoes c. 1590 - 1596

Editor: This is a photograph of an old shoe, simply titled "Shoes", and dating from the late 16th century. It's currently at the Rijksmuseum, but the photographer is unknown. I'm really struck by how humble the subject is; it makes me wonder what the story behind it is. What do you make of it? Curator: For me, this photograph begs questions about the labour embedded in the making of such an everyday object in the late 16th century. Think about the processes: the tanning of the leather, the cutting and shaping, the stitching. How might these material processes reflect broader social hierarchies of the time? Editor: That's a really interesting way to look at it. So, you’re focusing less on the shoe as an aesthetic object and more as a record of work? Curator: Precisely! It prompts me to consider how artisanal labor, the making of something as fundamental as a shoe, intertwined with economics and class. How accessible was such an object? Who would have owned these shoes, and who made them? Were they luxury goods or for commoners? The visible wear and tear adds another layer, doesn’t it? Editor: Definitely. I hadn't considered the economic implications tied to such a simple thing. It almost seems subversive to focus on something so practical, rather than a grand painting of a nobleman. Curator: The decision to photograph it centuries later also speaks volumes. Photography, often associated with realism and documentation, here elevates the mundane. Does it challenge our preconceptions of what constitutes 'art' or historical importance? Editor: I suppose it does. By choosing such an ordinary object, the photograph really challenges the idea of "high art." I appreciate how focusing on the materials and making brings a whole new level of understanding. Curator: Exactly. It makes me consider that seemingly small and quotidian artifacts are carriers of significant information, especially relating to social context and history, far beyond what's apparent at first sight.