Slipper 1935 - 1942

Irene Lawson made this drawing, simply titled "Slipper," using graphite on paper. Lawson lived a long life, from the mid-19th well into the 20th century. Though we don't know exactly when this was made, the subject matter suggests something about the changing role of women during her lifetime. On first glance, it looks like a simple fashion plate. But Lawson's bare, almost clinical lines, drain the slipper of its appeal. One is shown from the inside, quite unwearable, and the other is only lightly decorated. Was the artist commenting on the rise of consumer culture? Or perhaps, given the changing roles of women, was Lawson suggesting that the fussy fashions of the previous century were no longer relevant? To understand this work better, we might want to consult fashion and social history. After all, it's through understanding the context that the image truly speaks.