Pair of Women’s Shoes with Pointed Toes.

The pair of women’s shoes has pointed toes and was made in the European tradition with pronounced Eastern influences. The shoes are made of brocade, a costly decorative textile featuring woven ornamental motifs. They have a low-cut opening and a soft construction characteristic of traditional urban footwear.

The uppers are decorated with floral embroidery and ornamental textile elements arranged along the edges, giving the footwear an elegant and formal appearance. The upper surface of the pointed toe of each shoe is decorated with embroidery executed in dark-grey, red, and beige threads and embellished with transparent sequins.

Both boots have thin, dark-brown soles that remain flat along most of the length of the foot.

Footwear of this type was an important component of women’s dress and was used primarily in affluent urban environments. Brocade decorated with gold or silver threads was regarded as a prestigious material and indicated the high social status of its wearer. The decorative treatment of the footwear was coordinated with the decoration of clothing and other elements of festive attire.

Provenance: Donated to the museum by K. M. Skarzhynska in 1906.