Painted by Helmer Osslund
Completed in 1907
Displayed in the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, Sweden
Materials: oil paint on canvas
Dimensions: 116 cm tall by 202 cm wide
Since my teenage years, I have been enamored with leather gloves. Although the pleasure I derive from them is not sexual, there's no way to write about how much you love leather gloves without sounding like a fetishist, so I am choosing to just embrace this inevitable framing. I've always been drawn to leather for practical purposes. I wear leather boots for about three quarters of the year. The material is durable, easily waterproofed, and actually a better choice for the environment than plastic alternatives. But a leather boot is a very different sensual experience from a leather glove. The leather used for gloves is softer and thinner, and the glove, worn on the hand, has a much more intense tactile profile. It directly encases a delicate and sensitive body part, perfectly conforming to its shape. Everything you touch becomes mediated by the leather. A stray gesture such as brushing your hair out of your face means feeling the supple texture of the glove on your exposed skin.
I have owned several pairs of leather gloves in my life, and for some reason, have repeatedly lost them. The slipperiness of the material is probably a factor, but I think I can largely chalk this one up to being young and irresponsible. I hope this is the case, because I recently purchased two new pairs from Lands' End and would like to hang on to them for a while. As with all pieces of clothing, when I find something I like that actually fits, I wear it repeatedly until it completely deteriorates. Given the longevity of leather, they should last me a while. I love leather for everyday gloves. It keeps your hands warm enough for everything shy of touching snow, meaning you can wear leather gloves from late fall all the way through the beginning of spring. Leather gloves usually have a slim, attractive shape, avoiding the bulk you get with heavier insulation. The material has a clean matte finish and can come in a variety of colors. In the past, I owned two pairs of black leather gloves and then a pair of forest green suede gloves. My recent purchase was one pair of very dark navy gloves and one pair of brown, both sheepskin leather. These new pairs have a delicate cashmere lining, which is soft and warm on the skin without making the gloves cumbersome. I even like the smell of the gloves, the rich blend of warm animalic notes and tanning chemicals.