Boots 1900 - 1910

These boots, by Peal & Co., invite you to step into another time. There’s something deeply satisfying about the visual tension between the sturdy brown leather of the foot and the light upper section. Looking closely, you can almost feel the give of the leather, the way it’s been stitched and shaped. Notice how the leather seems to have been polished to a high gloss. The buttons that run up the side, what stories could they tell? It makes me think of Manet, and his ability to capture the textures and subtleties of fabric. I'm not sure when these boots were made, but like Manet, they invite you to slow down, to really see the thing in front of you. Art, like a well-made boot, is about care, attention, and the beauty of process.