The exhibition "Worn by the Gods", curated by Lorenza Camin, Caterina Chiarelli and Fabrizio Paolucci, was inaugurated on December 17 and will remain on display until April 19 2020 in Palazzo Pitti Costume of Palazzo Pitti.
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The exhibition presents about 80 works on the fascinating theme of the infinite roles that the shoe has played in the West from ancient times to the present day.
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In the Greek world, for example, thickness of sole, color and adornment were features that allowed people to identify the wearer's status. The exhibition illustrates the main types of footwear in use in the 5th and 4th centuries BC with finds from archaeological digs in northern Europe, while depictions on reliefs, figured vases and statues fill out and expand on the archaeological evidence.
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Complementing this main section, a special section explores the story of ancient footwear in 20th century culture through two complementary channels: fashion and the cinema. Shoes by some of the last century's leading Italian designers are displayed alongside models by Pompei Shoes, Italy's most celebrated manufacturer of footwear for the cinema, from such epic "sword-and-sandal" movies as Cleopatra, Quo Vadis, Ben Hur and The Gladiator.
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Image Credit: Le Gallerie degli Uffizi
Info contact: Palazzo Pitti
