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Great Divide

Great Divide Back ground Learn More Great Divide Border Great Divide Hero Old shoe The Great Divide Great Divide hero new shoe Great divide line Footwear in the Age ofEnlightenment keyboard_arrow_down

Slide THE GREAT DIVIDE Footwear in The Age Of Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment was a period in European history from the end of the 17th to the end of the 18th century when philosophers and scientists wrestled with concepts of ‘human nature’ and ‘natural rights’.

Some argued that all people had inherent social and political rights. These ideas challenged longstanding social hierarchies and ushered in dreams of personal liberty and egalitarian rule. Others advocated for the reordering of social hierarchies using ‘scientific’ proof to divide people through the identification of ‘natural’ differences such as gender and race. Much of the oppression and imperialism that marked the period was supported by these ideas.

Throughout the 18th century, fashion, including footwear, was central to the “naturalization” of difference in Europe. Distinctions between men and women, children and adults, Europeans and “others” became increasingly codified through clothing. Yet, European fashion was also used to blur the lines between classes as social mobility and access to consumable goods grew as a result of imperialism. A close examination of 18th century footwear reveals a great deal about the power dynamics of the period. It also gives insight into the shoes we wear today.

Closes March 27, 2023 at 5pm.

Great Divide Back ground

Highlights from the Exhibition

1760-80, English 1760-80, English A principal focus of the Enlightenment was establishing who should be entitled to the privileges of ‘natural rights’ which included life, liberty and the right to own property. A few philosophers advocated for the rights of all but the majority argued that these rights were ultimately only “natural” to European men of wealth and fashion was used to support these new ideas. This man’s shoe would have used to express both gender and class. Its low heel conveyed that it was masculine and the expensive fabric and ostentatious bow conveyed that it was upper class. Its use of pink might confuse us today, but in the 18th century pink was not gendered.
1760-80, English
1730-40, English 1730-40, English The majority of European women did not lead privileged lives yet they were expected to meet the same feminine obligations of upper-class women including the wearing of impractical heels. One way working women acquired footwear was through the cast-off clothing given to them by the people they served. These “gifts” would often be altered by the new wearer. This shoe originally had thin latchets that most likely were tied with a bow over the tongue but were updated to feature more fashionable straps by a later wearer.
1730-40, English
1780-85, English 1780-85, English During the Enlightenment, European men were held to have a “natural” capacity for reason, but it was also suggested that they were susceptible to irrationality when it came to sexual desire and they were warned to be wary of sexual manipulation. For women, despite the requirement to be “pleasing”, if they were perceived of as exploiting their “sex appeal” they were harshly criticized. Teetering on the line between being pleasing and overly sexual were high heels which soared in height during the 1780s.
1780-85, English
1750-90, French 1750-90, French Sugar rose in popularity in the West during the 18th century and as demand so did the use of slave labor in its cultivation. Sugar was first brought to Brazil by the Portuguese and then to the West Indies by the Dutch in the 17th century. By the 18th century, the French, British, and Dutch were all engaged in sugar production using forced African slave labour. It is unknown if this French shackle was used for the purposes of slavery, but it reminds us that objects such as these are not artefacts of the oppressed but rather tools of the oppressors. It also reminds us of all the people whose experiences and objects were not historically valued or preserved yet whose stories must be acknowledged and heard.
1750-90, French
Early 1800s, Myaamia Early 1800s, Myaamia Both the British and the Americans were set on empire building after the Revolutionary War. Resistance was mounted by many First Nations including the Myaamia. One of the most admired leaders during the last quarter of the century was Myaamia leader Mishikinawa, also known as Little Turtle who delivered one of the worst defeats in U.S. history at the Battle of Wabash in 1791. This moccasin is said to have belonged to Mishikinawa and features the long cuffs typical of traditional Myaamia footwear decorated with fine ribbon work.
Early 1800s, Myaamia
18th c, Indian/English 18th c, Indian/English British imperialism profoundly altered the political, cultural and material landscapes of the Indian sub-continent. The imperialist project is evidenced in this pair of women’s shoes. They began as a pair of upper-class jutti but at some point in the 1790s, their original soles were removed and new European ones were added, transforming them into British women’s shoes. The uppers feature delicate beadwork, wrapped metallic thread establishment and iridescent sequins made from beetle-wings, all hallmarks of the fine Indian craftsmanship and luxury.
18th c, Indian/English
1790s, American 1790s, American In the lead up to the American Revolution and in the years to follow, buy American became a means of demonstrating patriotism. This pair of little girl’s shoes was made in Boston shortly after the revolution in the newly established United States. It was made in the latest fashion, which demanded flats as heels had become associated with aristocratic excess. The label in the shoe clearly established that it was made by the American Jonas S. Bass whose store was located at 45 Marlboro’ Street, Boston.
1790s, American
1720-40, English 1720-40, English When Charles Perrault published Cinderella at the end of the 17th century, ideas of female beauty in the West were changing; daintiness was of growing importance in the “naturalization” of gender difference. High heels became a means of creating the illusion of desirably small feet. They hid the majority of the foot under women’s skirts, and the fashion for pointed toes furthered the illusion of smallness. The placement of the heel under the instep also gave the illusion of small footprint.
1720-40, English

Slide Purchase tickets in advance to avoid disappointment and wait times. BUY NOW p85-0102

Slide Government Sponsor Government Sponsor: Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Media Sponsor Media Sponsor: Toronto Star

Bata Shoe Museum
327 Bloor St W, Toronto
Ontario M5S 1W7
416.979.7799
info@batashoemuseum.ca

WCAG 2.0 (Level AA)

Charitable registration number - 119215168 R0001

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Mon-Sat
10am - 5pm
Sunday
12pm - 5pm

We are closed for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation,
Christmas Day and Easter Sunday.

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In the spirit of respect and friendship, the Bata Shoe Museum recognizes that the land on which we are situated has been the ancestral home of many nations, including the Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Mississaugas of the Credit, since time immemorial. Today, this area remains home to many, diverse Indigenous communities, including First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples. As a staff, we at the Bata Shoe Museum are grateful to have the opportunity to meet, work and learn together on this land.

Copyright © 2023 Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada. All Rights Reserved.

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The Bata Shoe Museum is located at 327 Bloor Street West, at the southwest corner of Bloor Street West and St. George.

By Transit

From the St. George subway station (on both the Bloor-Danforth and the Yonge-University lines), exit onto St. George Street. Turn left (walk south) for about 30 seconds and you’ll be at the northeast corner of Bloor Street West and St. George Street. From there, cross the road twice to reach the southwest corner of the intersection, and you’re at the Museum!

By Car

From Highway 401

Take the Avenue Road exit and go south to Bloor Street. Turn right onto Bloor Street and continue west to St. George Street. OR take the Bathurst Street exit and go south to Bloor Street. Turn left onto Bloor Street and continue east to St. George Street.

From the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW)

Get onto the Gardiner Expressway and exit at Spadina Avenue. Proceed north on Spadina to Bloor Street. Then turn right onto Bloor Street and go east on Bloor to St. George Street.

Parking

Street parking and paid parking lots within walking distance of the Museum may be available. Possibilities include:

The Toronto Parking Authority’s Carpark 58, the Bloor-Bedford Garage: 9 Bedford Road, north of Bloor Street West and two blocks east of the Museum.

The Toronto Parking Authority’s Carpark 205: 465 Huron Street, north of Bloor Street West and one block west of the Museum

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Counting down to the opening of our newest exhibition, The Great Divide: Footwear in the Age of Enlightenment.
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