Slippers

Unknown

ca. 1825 · silk · Costume Institute

As the countries of Europe spread their empires across the globe, accounts of the mysterious and exotic peoples of foreign lands captivated the audience at home. Along with the other indigenous peoples of the world, Native Americans were romanticized by white society as noble savages, particularly in Europe, far from any actual contact and conflict of the frontier. Demonstrating this interest, these British slippers are an unusual close imitation of Native American footwear. Despite their faithful resemblance to actual moccasins of the Great Lakes region, the shoes are made entirely with Western construction techniques: satin and flannel replace the native buckskin, quillwork ornamentation has been reproduced in thread embroidery, and Western turn shoe construction with a hard sole has replaced the authentic moccasin construction.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1825

Medium

silk

Culture

British

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Designated Purchase Fund, 1981