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Handkerchief (Javanese)

2
Maker Once Known, Javanese (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Handkerchief (n.d.)
cotton, dye
36.3 x 38.4 cm
Gift of Barbara Greenwald
75-81

This handkerchief is a brilliant orange with central white pattern. Wax was applied with a large tool to make the floral design and with a small tool to create the dot design. The cloth was then put into three different vats of dye to get this color. It was then placed in boiling water so the wax melted off the cloth. According to the Art Institute of Chicago,

"The Indonesian island of Java is the principal source of the brilliant textiles known as batiks. The terms batik derives from the Malay word meaning to draw with a broken dot or line and refers to the wax-resist process by which patterns are imposed on fabric. Many countries, especially in Asia, produce wax-resist textiles, but the Javanese have developed the most sophisticated method for executing the process. A liquefied wax compound is literally drawn on the surface of the cloth in order to keep either the pattern itself or the background areas from taking the dye. Each color thus requires separate application, leading to a multi-step production."

The bright color combined with the intricate floral design of this handkerchief is an excellent example of Javanese expertise in this art.
 

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