Pattens

Unknown

19th century · wood · Costume Institute

Pattens and similar elevated soles are common to the dress of numerous regions, be they the Turkish kab-kab, Japanese geta, Korean rain clog, or Venetian chopine. Typically, this type of footwear is utilitarian, and by consequence is often discarded when no longer useable. This surviving pair of pattens features particularly attractive and well executed decorative detailing, which probably helped to secure their preservation. The traditional eight-pointed star is used in many cultures, but is a dominant motif in Norwegian design, representing the sun and founded in pagan beliefs.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

wood

Culture

Norwegian

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Brooklyn Museum Collection