The Musée dauphinois offers a free temporary exhibition retracing the history of the glove industry in Grenoble, which has contributed to the international reputation of the city. Some 215 original pieces are on display, including 165 from the Dauphinois Museum, the others have been lent by individuals, the Association for the Safeguarding and Promotion of Gloves in Grenoble, the International Museum of Perfumery in Grasse and the Louvre Museum. The route designed by the director of the establishment, Olivier Cogne, invites visitors to immerse themselves in the origins of adventure, from its golden age in the Second Empire to its decline at the end of the Second World War. Short or long gloves compete in finesse and artistic talent. Reconstituted with the tools of the glovemaker, a workshop proposes to find the gestures of the craftsmen who took part in the adventure of the glovemaking activity in Grenoble.
main de fer
It is necessary to wait for the Middle Ages so that the use of the glove extends. Its real growth took place during the 18the century. At that time, in Grenoble, the manufacturing activity of glove making was a flourishing sector. Exported in particular to Italy and Germany, the Grenoble luxury glove, which was above all feminine, became the first economic activity to promote the city abroad. Using goatskin for the finesse of its texture and its touch, it required extreme know-how transmitted by thousands of workers in countless workshops in Isère.
In the 1830s, Xavier Jouvin invented and perfected his so-called “iron hand” system, which consisted of a cookie cutter the size and shape of which made it possible to cut out six gloves at a time. The various tasks required to make a glove specialize. When the work of cutting is entrusted to men, that of sewing is reserved for women. This tool pushes the glove-making sector towards an industrial approach. However, the glove remains a luxury item. The clientele is mainly Parisian and foreign.
Book edited by Glénat
From the end of the 19the century until the Roaring Twenties, large companies like Perrin and Jouvin conquered the world. The reputation of the Grenoble glove is carried high by sales agents in the United States, Canada, Australia, etc.
The Grenoble glove industry has now disappeared. The evolution of fashion, the emancipation of women, relocations and competition from Asia have got the better of this market.
To extend the exhibition, discover the book published by Glénat: When Grenoble gloved the world parAudrey Colonel and Anne Dalmasso (96 pages) sold for €25.
Exposition
Visible every day, except Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Free admission. Info. : 04 57 58 89 01 or [email protected]
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