Mitten Gauntlet for the Right Hand c. 1530 - 1540

Curator: This meticulously crafted object is a Mitten Gauntlet for the Right Hand, dating back to 1530-1540, believed to be the work of Jörg Seusenhofer. Currently residing at the Art Institute of Chicago, this piece offers us a fascinating glimpse into the artistry and function of medieval armor. Editor: Wow, it looks...constricting. Intensely protective, of course, but I imagine wearing this must feel like shaking hands with a robot. Or *being* a robot. All cold metal. Curator: Indeed, the gauntlet is a study in constraint and articulation. Note the fluted segments along the wrist and fingers, meticulously designed to allow for some flexibility while ensuring maximum protection. We can see, through close inspection, that each plate is overlapping. This reveals sophisticated mechanical logic. Editor: It’s a beautiful contradiction. Brutal in purpose, undeniably, but also ornate. Look at the sunburst design radiating from the wrist! Curator: Precisely. That decorative element complicates any simple understanding of function. The concentric composition lends an almost ceremonial quality. Editor: Do you think the original owner reveled in a sort of medieval, metallic drag? It's such a showy display of power and status. Imagine the clanking entrance at a royal tournament. A costume for combat, or the combat of the costume. Curator: An intriguing hypothesis, though difficult to verify directly. Consider the materiality: the cold, unyielding nature of the steel speaks volumes about the social stratification of the era. Moreover, we see a mastery of metalsmithing. It could be seen as an allegory for the hand itself, at once capable of creativity and destruction. Editor: So true. Something about this gauntlet is still startling in its precision. Even after so many years it just feels so solid. In its way, almost alive. Curator: I concur. We might even venture to suggest that through its meticulous construction, the gauntlet transcends its immediate functionality to become a powerful signifier of martial prowess and aristocratic identity. A sculpture meant to make a statement. Editor: It certainly leaves an impression. A cold, hard, beautiful, metallic one.