Woman’s wedding shoe
These shoes are not only an example of quality embroidery, they also illustrate a transformation in Chinese women’s lives at the end of the Qing dynasty. Small feet were considered a symbol of feminine beauty since the tenth century; to fit societal expectations, women compressed their feet with tight bandages. By the late nineteenth century, urban society began to abandon the custom, and it was eventually banned in 1912. The standard size of this pair demonstrates that their original owner was a pioneer in challenging the convention.
Artwork Details
- 清末 女子婚服繡鞋
- Title:Woman’s wedding shoe
- Period:Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
- Date:early 20th century
- Culture:China
- Medium:Silk satin with silk and metallic thread embroidery, glass beads, and leather soles
- Dimensions:4 x 9 3/4 in. (10.16 x 24.77 cm)
- Classification:Costumes-Embroidered
- Credit Line:Gift of Captain and Mrs. James Thach, 1946
- Object Number:46.187.4
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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early 20th century
early 20th century
20th century
20th century
ca. 1920–40
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