Western Glove History: You're used to this stuff, but you probably don't know its culture
Western Glove History 2: From Shakespeare to the glove fetish of the aristocratic men of England
As sleeve lengths become popular, they become shorter or longer according to popular trends, so the length of gloves also changes to ensure that the entire arm is covered. Miss Dixie's wide waterfall lace sleeves required a glove that reached the elbow length to ensure her skin would not be tanned in the sun. The white, flawless skin is highly valued as a sign of members of the upper class. Light-colored gloves may also be painted with idyllic scenery or flowers, or with a pattern of bracelets or medals.
At the end of the eighteenth century, as the sleeves became shorter, the gloves became longer and fastened to the top of the elbows with a tie, sometimes with decorative features such as diamond buckles. By then, britain's glove industry had grown, producing gloves in a wide variety of materials, from cashmere and black lamb to wool, linen and cotton twill fabrics. However, fashion consumers still preferred French or Italian-made gloves, which led William Pitt to impose stamp duty on gloves in 1785, which was expected to sell more than 30 million pairs a year. Many people buy 20 or 30 pairs of gloves at a time.
John Smyth of Heathhor, Yorkshire, 1773
Pompeo Bartoni (1708-1787)
York Museum Trust
Pompeo Bartoni's studio was often reserved gloves by young people of the British aristocracy and high society, who would embark on the road to his doorstep when they made their European tour in Rome. Bartoni was a well-known portrait painter who excelled at depicting fabrics and textures.
In this painting, John Smyth, later a member of Parliament and minister of the Admiralty of Pontefract, is depicted in the classic Grand Tour pose, leaning against a pillar. Bartoni mimicked Renaissance painting, showing Smythe wearing one glove and holding another. This convention has given rise to many theories. It is clear that the glove is not for work; it can display precious jewelry (in this case, a ring), and it also allows hands to be extended without gloves, which is considered a sign of respect. Any one of these theories could apply here.
Louis August Schwitter 1826-1820
Delacroix (1798-1863)
National Gallery, London
The portrait of Eugène Delacroix's fellow artist, Louis August Schwitter, is his first full-body portrait, showing his friend dressed in the fashionable style typical of the early 19th century, wearing a close-fitting suit and smooth leather gloves. The typical playboy, Alfred d'Orsay, advised men to wear six pairs of gloves a day — two for hunting, one for driving, one for walking, and one for dinners and dances. A glove could be exchanged between couples, and it is alleged that after the death of George IV, his executors found more than 1,000 individual gloves in his property.
Sophia, Lady Birdett after 1793
Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830)
National Portrait Gallery, London
In the early 19th century, as clothing became softer and smoother, gloves also appeared. The most popular are baby lambskin and deerskin gloves in natural colors such as light yellow, tan, yellow and white, as well as a new fashion from Ireland called Limerick gloves. These gloves are also known as "chicken skin" gloves, but are actually made from the skin of unborn calves. The skin of this glove is thin and strong, without flaws, so it can be sold in walnut shells.
Charles West Cop (1811-1890)
Victorian etiquette of life stipulated that women should always wear gloves in church or theatre, but not at dinner unless their hands were not suitable for others to see. Gloves can be removed at the ball, but the recommendation is to wear gloves if your hands are wet. Today's gloves and half-mittens are made of coloured silk, lace and embroidered cotton, perfectly in line with Victorian etiquette and prevent accidental friction between the skin.
Echoing this repressive era, the discarded gloves in Kopp's paintings powerfully symbolize that virtue has been compromised and romantic hopes have been shattered. The young woman's hands touched each other—she could only imagine what she had been deprived of.
Around 1926, a lady dressed in black
Francis Campbelle Boylo Caader (1883-1937)
Glasgow Museum
By the twentieth century, our attitude towards gloves had changed radically. Although, like hats, they were regarded as an important accessory for decent women until the 1950s and were widely popular as the Z-clean and seductive H elements in evening wear, they were increasingly being used for special occasions.
Blue gloves, orange chair 2016
Salem Morgan Jones (b. 1985)
General Library/National Library of Wales
We may wear more latex surgical gloves than any other type of glove during the flu pandemic, but this may prompt designers to look again at what our hands are wearing. If Vogue can recreate the elegance and mystery of gloves as fashion pieces, Christmas shopping could be fun again.