Artists in the sixteenth century spent their time trying to master the figura serpentinata - an idea that takes on a whole new meaning when one gazes upon these splendid snake skin shoes we found in a shop window on a back street in Venice. Displayed amongst a host of other lovely and handmade offerings, this headstrong pair of scarpe serpentinate initially sent us recoiling in shock and surprise (yep, that’s a little snake tongue sticking out of the head on the right), but then we became fascinated, even obsessed, and found ourselves slithering back up to the window for another look, and another, and another, until we convinced ourselves that one could cut quite a bella figura in these shoes if one were just brave enough to wear them.
