The Voegele Family Collection - Selections from the Collection - www.3inchgoldenlotus.com
In historical China, where women and girls were often denied access to reading and writing, the crafting and embroidery of lotus shoes became a primary creative outlet and an intimate tradition passed from mother to daughter. These small, elaborately embroidered shoes—worn after the painful process of foot binding—symbolized both a rite of passage and a bond formed in preparing a daughter for marriage. Foot binding, while viewed as a mark of beauty and refinement, was deeply controversial, often criticized for its lasting physical and social limitations on women. Still, the tradition’s historical legacy among Han Chinese reflects the intricate expectations of femininity and the resilience of creativity in a constrained society.
The lotus shoes displayed here exemplify the mastery of a lost art and capture the delicate, intricate craftsmanship tied to the esoteric and symbolic superstitions of ancient China. Outlawed in the mid-20th century, these tiny shoes remain poignant reminders of a unique and enduring cultural tradition that spanned over a thousand years.
This selection of curated works from the Voegele Family Collection is dedicated to the memory of Jim and Sharon Voegele who lived and travelled throughout Southeast Asia for over 40 years building this exceptional collection of antique Chinese lotus shoes, textiles, ceramics and objets d’art from scratch. The images herein are just a small selection of the total works in the collection. The unrepresented other lotus shoes, textiles and sculptural works not pictured here are multitudinous and omitted only for the sake of presentation. With Jim’s access to various remote regions throughout the eastern hemisphere and Sharon’s skill for identifying and negotiating acquisitions, together they found meaning and connection in assembling rare items of cultural history. These sentiments were imparted to their two children, Jason and Ben who as boys, spent their youth following them as they travelled extensively throughout the world. Though both Sharon and Jim have since passed, their children continue to carry out the curiosity, passion and love of world history that guided their parents through truly remarkable and adventurous lives. Both brothers continue to travel the world and carry on the family tradition of exploring new cultures and new ideas. Although both brothers are active in the preservation of the Voegele Family Collection, Jason Patrick Voegele took over representation and conservation of the collection in 2022 when it was relocated to New York City to be properly cataloged. Uniquely suited as a professional curator, art historian, and art consultant, all copy, photography, condition reports and research into regional origin, date appraisals and further research were conducted by Jason and his business NY Art Consultant. All copy and images are subject to copy-write and are not allowed for reproduction in any form without express written consent from the collection. If you would like to discuss a project, have a question about any of the items, or are interested in booking a speaking engagement, exhibition possibilities or university research you can contact Jason@nyartconsultant.com or contact the collection through this website through the contact section in the menu.
The Voegele Family Collection is always seeking opportunities for Museum exhibition, University exhibition and institutional exhibition or educational connection. If this is of interest or you would like to recommend the collection, please feel free to contact the family through the site links. We look forward to hearing from you.
History of the Collection
Hong Kong 1980’s
In the earliest years of the 1980’s, after traveling to mainland China from the family home base in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong, the Voegele family collection began with the first of what would become hundreds of lotus shoes and lotus shoe tools in the collection. As the collection progressed, blue and white porcelain, textiles and various Objets d’Art began to be included as well. Sharon, the family matriarch, always inspired to support progressive women’s rights in America, China and all around the world, believed that it was important to remember the past and find creative silver linings in the brutal and oppressive thousand-year-old practice of binding girls and young women’s feet. She thought it was important to remember that these girls and these women were not allowed to read or write so that weaving and stitch work symbology became the only creative outlets allowed for Han women for a millennium. As cruel a practice as it may have been, it also severe as a bonding ritual between mother and daughter before the young girl would become married and leave her family to permanently reside with her in-laws. Woven into each pair of shoes, self-crafted and decorated by the young women who wore them, is to be found a secret symbolic language and a visible pride in the individual artistic craftsmanship that surely provided meaning and esoteric philosophical insights to many otherwise joyless lives of servitude.
Taiwan 1990’s
In 1986 the family relocated to the promising Democracy that was to become modern Taiwan. At the time it was still under Marshall law and under the control of Chaing Kai-Shek’s grandson. That year Democracy activists demonstrating in Kaohsiung were arrested and imprisoned following what is known as the Kaohsiung Incident, which eventually lead to the formation and development of the Democratic Progressive Party in 1986 and the first Democratic elections the following year. Foot binding was first brought to Taiwan in the 17th century by the occupying army of Ming Dynasty who invaded the island of indigenous Taiwanese peoples. At its peak, up to 70 percent of women in Taiwan eventually had their feet bound. When in 1949, the Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek retreated to the island of Taiwan, leaving Mao Tse-tung’s communists in control of the mainland, he took the best pieces of ancient Chinese history and art with him. In three ships and across stormy waters, more than 600,000 of the finest and most fragile artworks were transported to Taiwan. Remarkably, the precious cargo arrived entirely intact and can be seen on display at several off the great Taiwanese museums in downtown Taipei and elsewhere around the country. This rich artistic center became a healthy resource for collectors who were interested in preserving the folk history of the uniquely designed Taiwanese lotus shoes, Chinese porcelain, and other dynamic styles of art from days gone by. Now deeply rooted in Taiwan and from there, traveling extensively though out Southeast Asia and mainland China, The Voegele family collection grew exponentially in every direction at this time.
Singapore 2000’s
By the year 2000 The Voegele Family had uprooted from a fourteen-year residency in Taiwan and relocated, to the prosperous and benevolent city-state of Singapore. Singapore in the 2000’s was an island of continuing political stability and renewed economic growth in a region still struggling through the effects of economic, social, and political turbulence triggered mostly by both the regional financial crisis of 1997 and the cultural shift when Hong Kong was returned to mainland China after 200 years of British rule. It was at this time that Singapore began more progressive social reforms that allowed for a blossoming of architecture, popular culture, and contemporary art. Along with cultural growth came an increase in freedoms of speech and press. Uniquely situated at the equatorial tip of the Malay peninsula, Singapore is a multi-ethnic port city, the second busiest port in the world and a perfect point of embarkation to easily travel to India, the Indonesian archipelago islands, China, and the Philippines or even Australia with little effort and a bit of patience. Although it rains for 20 minutes once a day nearly every day all year long and the heat and humidity can be described fairy accurately as oppressive, the country truly is a melting pot of ancient cultures, languages, architecture, and cuisine nearly unrivaled in the world. It was from this new home in Singapore that the Voegele family collection continued to grow and expand into new avenues of interest. With new Singaporean friendships also came new avenues of education and deeper meaningful understanding of the individual objects, textiles, and ceramics that the family would continue to explore from this magical part of the world for the next 20 years.
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Reference Books & Places
Reference Books
Foot-binding, Feminism and Freedom; The Liberation of Women’s Bodies in China, by Fan Hong, (De Montfort University) 1997. Published by Frank Cass &Co. LTD.
Chinese Foot-binding; The History of a Curious Erotic Custom, by Howard S Levy, 1966. Published by SMC Publishing, ROC
Chinese Symbolism & Art Motifs; Fourth Revised Edition, by C.A.S Williams, 1974. Published by Charles E. Tuttle Co. Inc.
Buddhist Art & Architecture, by Robert E. Fisher, PHD, 1993. Published by Thames and Hudson Ltd, London
Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts; Festivals of China, by Carol Stepanchuk and Charles Wong 1993. Published by S. Abdul Majeed & Co., Malaysia
Dragons and Silk From the Forbidden City, by Teresa Coleman 1990. Published b y Teresa Coleman Fine Arts, Ltd., Hong Kong
Every Step A Lotus; Shoes for Bound Feet by Dorothy Ko, 2001. Published by The Bata Shoe Museum Foundation & University of California Press
Children of the Gods; Dress and Symbolism in China, by Valery M. Garrett and Naomi Yin-yin Szeto, 1990. Published by Hong Kong Museum of History and The Urban Council, HK
Splendid Slippers; A Thousand Years of and Erotic Tradition, by Beverly Jackson, 1997, 2000. Published by Ten Speed Press, Berkley, California
Reference People and Places
Framing Angie Art Gallery, Pte. Ltd. 211 Holland Ave. #03-02, Singapore
Zhang’s Antiques, Hong Qiao Market, 3rd Fl. No. 78, Beijing, China
Zhang’s Textiles, NB140, B1, China World Trade Center, Beijing, China
Teresa Coleman Fine Arts, Ltd. Hong Kong
Antique Yue, 1F, No.212 Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan