Bruidsschoen van wit glacé-leer, op het voorblad met geborduurde crème takjes en witkralen bloemen; afgeronde zeer spitse neus, Pompadourhak met leer overtrokken; wreefbandje before 1909

Curator: Looking at this image, what strikes me is the pointed elegance. Editor: Well, considering this is a photograph of an object and not, say, an event, the mood for me is more...still. We have here a pair of what appear to be bridal shoes rendered in glazed leather, dating from before 1909. Note the delicate floral embroidery adorning the front. Curator: The interplay between the stark white and the intricate detailing is certainly visually arresting. One immediately sees a contrast in texture—the smoothness of the glacé leather against the raised beadwork of the floral embellishments. It creates a fascinating dialogue between the simple and the ornate. Editor: Let’s talk about production. Who made this shoe and how skilled were they in cutting the leather and carefully stitching that thread and beads? I also see those machine-made soles: so standardized, such perfect right angles where leather meets heel. I imagine dozens of workers at their benches. Were they fairly compensated? Curator: An interesting angle! From my point of view, that line is less relevant here because it focuses solely on what is external. Editor: How can we divorce object from labor, aesthetics from function? The shoe itself is an expression of early-century manufacturing capacity, and I wager only a bride from the bourgeoise would ever own such finery! I see production and its reach in every stitch! Curator: Perhaps, but focusing on the tangible, these shoes showcase a distinct silhouette that evokes a bygone era. The subtle Pompadour heel lends the shoe a particular poise. One senses not merely footwear, but a sartorial sculpture. Editor: Well, they were built to be walked in, or danced in at a wedding. This photograph is divorced from the social and economic history of shoe-making and of marriage. I still consider it worth examining how this image might serve to obfuscate more than illuminate. Curator: Yet the formal elements in play exhibit an artistry worth pausing over; the pristine white of the leather, and how that shade signifies ideas, not production: Purity, new beginnings. Editor: All these are social constructs! And what does a photograph of this shoe allow the public to do except look? Curator: Be that as it may, analyzing it brings an appreciation of refined design and craftsmanship. Editor: Fair enough; understanding labor makes me appreciate design even more!