Pair of Gloves
1600-1625 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Gloves served several purposes in early 17th century Britain, apart from the obvious ones of protection and warmth. Many were solely decorative, to display the wealth and status of their owner. They were worn in the hat or belt, as well as carried in the hand. Gloves were popular as gifts and were often given by a young gallant to his favourite mistress. In combat, a glove was thrown down as a gage, or challenge.
Materials & Making
The gauntlet of the glove is covered and lined with maroon satin. The seams on the back of the hand are embroidered with silver-gilt thread in plaited braid stitch to emphasise the length of the fingers. The spangles worked into the lace would have trembled with movement and glistened in the light.
Designs & Designing
The shapes outlined in pearl reflect the taste for strapwork, a style of decoration deriving from France and Italy in the 16th century. Popular in England in the early 17th century, strapwork appears on furniture and metalwork, as well as in textile designs.
Gloves served several purposes in early 17th century Britain, apart from the obvious ones of protection and warmth. Many were solely decorative, to display the wealth and status of their owner. They were worn in the hat or belt, as well as carried in the hand. Gloves were popular as gifts and were often given by a young gallant to his favourite mistress. In combat, a glove was thrown down as a gage, or challenge.
Materials & Making
The gauntlet of the glove is covered and lined with maroon satin. The seams on the back of the hand are embroidered with silver-gilt thread in plaited braid stitch to emphasise the length of the fingers. The spangles worked into the lace would have trembled with movement and glistened in the light.
Designs & Designing
The shapes outlined in pearl reflect the taste for strapwork, a style of decoration deriving from France and Italy in the 16th century. Popular in England in the early 17th century, strapwork appears on furniture and metalwork, as well as in textile designs.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Leather, silk, gold, silver; vegetable-tanned, hand-embroidered, hand-sewn |
| Brief description | Pair of gloves of grey kidskin, 1600-1625, English; grey kidskin, maroon silk satin cuff, embroidered metal thread and pearls |
| Physical description | Pair of gloves of kidskin, dyed grey, with maroon satin tops [cuffs or gauntlets], embroidered with silver purl and seed pearls, and edged with bobbin lace of silver, silver-gilt filé and spangles. The seams are plaited braid-stitched in silver and silver-gilt filé. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
Gloves played an essential part in 17th-century etiquette. Both men and women aspired to a narrow hand with long fingers and gloves were cut to exaggerate these features. Similar decoration appears on gloves for both sexes, so it is difficult to distinguish women's gloves from men's.(27/03/2003) |
| Summary | Object Type Gloves served several purposes in early 17th century Britain, apart from the obvious ones of protection and warmth. Many were solely decorative, to display the wealth and status of their owner. They were worn in the hat or belt, as well as carried in the hand. Gloves were popular as gifts and were often given by a young gallant to his favourite mistress. In combat, a glove was thrown down as a gage, or challenge. Materials & Making The gauntlet of the glove is covered and lined with maroon satin. The seams on the back of the hand are embroidered with silver-gilt thread in plaited braid stitch to emphasise the length of the fingers. The spangles worked into the lace would have trembled with movement and glistened in the light. Designs & Designing The shapes outlined in pearl reflect the taste for strapwork, a style of decoration deriving from France and Italy in the 16th century. Popular in England in the early 17th century, strapwork appears on furniture and metalwork, as well as in textile designs. |
| Bibliographic reference | John Lea Nevinson, Catalogue of English Domestic Embroidery of the Sixteenth & Seventeenth Centuries, Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Textiles, London: HMSO, 1938, p.93 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 711&A-1875 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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