Hand Glove Advertisement c. 1938

This watercolor, titled "Hand Glove Advertisement," was painted by Robert Calvin at an unknown date. Calvin was active during a period of significant shifts in advertising and consumer culture. The image presents a disembodied hand on a stand, posed elegantly. The hand’s purpose isn’t immediately clear. Is it a mannequin, a model, or a symbolic gesture? The color of the hand and the dark nails suggest an ambiguity that reflects anxieties around race. During this time, advertising often used coded imagery, and this hand could be interpreted as a commentary on beauty standards and identity. The act of displaying the hand, separate from a body, raises questions about objectification and the commodification of the human form. It invites us to consider how such images shape our perceptions of others and ourselves.