2002/15/4 Uncut uppers for bound foot shoes, red with painted designs, linen, China, c.1900

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2002/15/4 Uncut uppers for bound foot shoes, red with painted designs, linen, China, c.1900

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Object statement

Uncut uppers for bound foot shoes, red with painted designs, linen, China, c.1900

Statement of significance

The practice of foot binding is thought to have begun in the tenth century. Tradition has it that the emperor Li Yu's favourite consort, Yao-niang, had bound her feet to suggest a new moon for a dance she performed for the emperor. The fashion spread first among the women at court and then outside court circles until it became common throughout China. When the Manchu Dynasty took power in 1644 they tried to ban the practice, but it wasn't until the end of the nineteenth century that it began to decline. The new Republic formally banned foot binding in 1912 and the practice finally died out in the 1940s.

A girl would have her feet bound between the ages of three and five. The feet were usually bound to a length of 13cm. As part of her dowry a girl would make between four and sixteen pairs of shoes, as proof of her skill in needlework as well as of her small feet.

This painted sheet of waterproofed linen was probably mass produced along with other parts of shoes, such as heels and uppers, for individuals to purchase and make up at home. Traditionally girls and women would have embroidered their own designs onto cloth to make shoes for themselves and female relatives.

Production notes

Painted with design of bats and floral sprays in gold, pink, green and orange. Bats symbolise good luck and happiness.

This painted sheet of waterproofed linen was probably mass produced along with other parts of shoes, such as heels and uppers, for individuals to purchase and make up at home. Traditionally girls and women would have embroidered their own designs onto cloth to make into shoes for themselves and female relatives.

This painted sheet was made 1900-1925.

History notes

The vendor sourced this painted sheet in Beijing, China.

This text content licensed under CC BY-NC.

Description

Uncut uppers for bound foot shoes, red with painted designs, linen, China, c.1900.

Sheet of dyed red linen with small painted designs for the uppers of a pair of shoes for bound feet. Small design of a bat and floral sprays in gold, pink, green, blue and orange.

Designed: China

Made: China; 1900 - 1925

Owned: Beijing, China

Registration number

2002/15/4

Height

163 mm

Width

298 mm

This text content licensed under CC BY-SA.

Acquisition credit line

Purchased 2002

Subjects

+ Chinese culture
+ Foot binding

Short persistent URL

Concise link back to this object: http://from.ph/11225

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{{cite web |url=http://from.ph/11225 |title=2002/15/4 Uncut uppers for bound foot shoes, red with painted designs, linen, China, c.1900 |author=Powerhouse Museum |accessdate=19 May 2013 |publisher=Powerhouse Museum, Australia}}

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