Handschoen van zwarte peau-de-suède, met drie uitstralende lijnen op de rug c. 1940 - 1960

Curator: We're looking at "Handschoen van zwarte peau-de-suède, met drie uitstralende lijnen op de rug"—which translates to "Glove of black suede leather with three radiating lines on the back." These date to around 1940-1960 and are held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first thought? Understated power. They’re elegant, sure, but also a little mysterious, like they belong to a spy in a black-and-white film. Very cool and enigmatic! Curator: The radiating lines are definitely key to understanding the object. In design, radiating lines often symbolize expansion and movement. Are these meant to communicate the wearer's influence? Perhaps they symbolize the wearer extending her reach into the world? Editor: Ooh, I like that! Especially if we imagine these gloves in post-war Europe, maybe hinting at a woman carving her own path. I’m also stuck on the material: *peau-de-suède*, or suede leather. There’s something about suede, its texture, the way it absorbs light… it’s less about overt display, more about discreet luxury, wouldn't you say? Curator: Absolutely. Suede has associations with tactile experience. Gloves in general have such layered symbolism, guarding and revealing, depending on context and culture. Gloves protect, but also, the removal of a glove could signal readiness for combat or signify romantic challenge in aristocratic circles. And black—always ripe for interpretation! Is it formality? Mourning? Rebellion? Editor: Rebellion, I hope! These gloves whisper stories of hidden agendas, I bet! Imagine donning these beauties for a night on the town. The design lines definitely add flair – kind of an Art Deco vibe. Curator: These radiating lines do conjure a sense of the period, bridging Art Deco’s flair with Modernism's functionality. As objects in a museum, they also speak to evolving ideas around fashion, production and design as symbolic languages. These gloves capture shifts in manufacturing techniques and emerging ideals of feminine expression in that moment. Editor: Makes you wonder who wore them, doesn't it? What stories could these silent artifacts tell about their owners? I picture them belonged to an independent woman in occupied territory, like a scene out of Casablanca. Curator: These black gloves transcend simple utility. Instead, their careful craftsmanship becomes charged with emotional and cultural narratives – objects that reflect broader social shifts, whispered stories and the power of personal style. Editor: And ultimately, reminding us that even the simplest everyday objects can become portals into another time, another life. It is why i am always looking for the perfect pair myself.