Resumen de «To shoe or not to shoe». Note sulla fortuna iconografica delle scarpe tra XIX e XXI secolo
The depiction of shoes, removed from a precise context and without a wearer, became particularly popular in art between the 19th and 21st century. This study traces the emergence of this iconography by distinguishing archetypes and variations that indicate a broad geographical and cultural interest. Considered as possesing a strong identity, painted and sculpted shoes, and shoes featuring in performance art, become far removed from their objective reality and increasingly charged with symbols and allusions. As well as their seductive “iconic” quality, artists have therefore constantly explored their inmaterial aspects that transcend the function of the object and transform the image into a metaphor of Being.
