Woman's Shoe c. 1937

Sylvia Dezon made this watercolor and graphite drawing of a Woman's Shoe. She rendered the object in a schematic way, showing not just the shoe’s overall shape but also the method of its construction. Dezon took an interest in the ways that things are put together. The laces, heel, and pointed toe each speak to the shoemaker’s art. We know that shoes are made from leather, but the drawing also makes us think about design processes. If this shoe were real, how would it feel to wear it? Would the design be comfortable, or merely fashionable? This drawing of a humble shoe also reminds us of labor. Every stage of the process would have been handled by a person or a team of them: tanning the leather, cutting and stitching it, and lacing it up. Dezon brings attention to all of these considerations, prompting a deeper engagement with the everyday.