Woman's Slippers c. 1937

Ray Price created this artwork, Woman’s Slippers, using watercolor and graphite. Price lived through a time of enormous shifts in gender roles, from the Victorian era to the late 20th century. What do these shoes tell us about women's identities during that period? The delicate slippers with their small heels speak to a particular ideal of femininity, one of refinement, and a life of leisure, where walking wasn't a necessity but an elegant choice. The presence of the slippers, depicted in isolation, encourages a kind of emotional projection. Whose feet would these shoes adorn, what would she wear them to? One shoe is presented alone, evoking a sense of absence, as if the wearer has stepped away, leaving a trace of her presence. Do these slippers capture a longing for a bygone era? Or do they offer a commentary on the changing roles of women, as they moved away from domestic constraints and into new realms of personal and professional freedom?