Leather Shoe thumbnail 1
Leather Shoe thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Leather Shoe

1370-1500 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is part of a poulaine, a type of medieval man’s shoe with a long pointed toe. The poulaine was fashionable from about 1370 to 1400 and again from 1450 to 1500. Here the back part is missing, which makes precise dating difficult.

The toes were often stuffed with moss or wool to maintain their shape. At their most extreme, they could be as much as 20-25cm long, though such shoes were worn by only the most fashion conscious.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Shoe (Part)
  • Shoe (Part)
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Fragments of a leather shoe or Poulaine, 1400s, English
Physical description
Shoe, known as a poulaine with a very long pointed toe, fashionable from 1370-1400 and again from about 1450-1500
Dimensions
  • Length: 29cm
  • Width: 9.5cm
Credit line
Given by Talbot Hughes
Production
1370-1400 or 1450-1500
Summary
This is part of a poulaine, a type of medieval man’s shoe with a long pointed toe. The poulaine was fashionable from about 1370 to 1400 and again from 1450 to 1500. Here the back part is missing, which makes precise dating difficult.

The toes were often stuffed with moss or wool to maintain their shape. At their most extreme, they could be as much as 20-25cm long, though such shoes were worn by only the most fashion conscious.
Collection
Accession number
T.111&A-1918

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Record createdFebruary 11, 2003
Record URL
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