Handschoen van ambassadeur Allard Merens c. 1945 - 1976

These gloves of ambassador Allard Merens, likely made of fine kidskin leather, are like ghostly hands reaching out from the past. It's fascinating how something so functional can become so evocative. I'm struck by the subtle palette, that creamy, off-white hue. It speaks of age, of course, but also of a kind of understated elegance. Think about the maker's process here – cutting, stitching, shaping. It’s a slow, deliberate craft, a world away from our mass-produced everything. You can almost feel the hand of the artisan in every seam. Focus on the way the leather is molded around the fingers. See those delicate creases and folds? They tell a story of wear, of countless gestures and encounters. And look at the way the light catches the surface. There’s a softness, a suppleness that’s incredibly appealing. These gloves remind me of Man Ray’s surrealist objects, everyday things transformed into something strange and beautiful. They invite us to consider the hidden lives of objects, the stories they hold, and the memories they evoke.