Slippers
Unknown Artist
1850–75
Medium
leather
Classification
Slippers
Culture
American
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Arthur Turnbull Hill, 1932
Accession Number
2009.300.3007a, b
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of mid-19th-century American domestic life with these charming leather slippers, crafted between 1850 and 1875 by an unknown artisan. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume, these delicate shoes exemplify everyday luxury from the Victorian era, when indoor footwear like slippers offered comfort and subtle style for women at home. Made from supple leather—a practical yet refined medium—this pair highlights the skilled leatherworking traditions of the time, balancing durability with a touch of personal flair. In an age of rapid social change following the...